Catching up to Kagome
by J. Travis
Summary: Takes place after the death of Naraku. The well has sealed, and Inuyasha must find a way to cope with living until he is able to meet up with Kagome again. Please note, some of this fic is quite dark. Rated M for language, violence and sexual situations
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Inuyasha and give all credit to Rumiko Takahashi and the publishers who were smart enough to share her stories.

**A/N**: I do not get a chance to write fic often, and if updates are few and far between, please know that I have not forgotten the story. I am simply busy with real life and write fanfiction only when taking a break from my own work or to practice my skills. While this story was inspired by MetsukiKaraTen's _Finding Kagome_, the two stories are and will be quite different. **Also, there will be times when characters will seem extremely out of character, but Inuyasha and Sesshomaru find themselves in odd situations that sometimes require them both to use language or mannerisms they wouldn't normally.** Inuyasha frequently voices his frustration over this aspect of his new life too.

**Rating**: M, for language, possible sexual content and violence, though if you're expecting sex for the sake of sex, you won't find it because that simply isn't how I write.

**Summary**: Takes place after the death of Naraku. The well has sealed, and Inuyasha must find a way to cope with living until he is able to meet up with Kagome again.

Name meanings: Yalitza, beautiful water goddess and is American in origin (native American I think), Nen, ancient water (Arabic in origin)

**Catching up to Kagome**

**Prologue**

Six moons passed after the well closed before Kaede decided to take matters into her own hands and speak with the half-demon, Inuyasha, who lurked about the village; his grief over losing Kagome was palpable, and Kaede could no longer endure his suffering. He'd brushed aside her previous reassurances, and he managed to stay hidden from the villagers as well his friends. If help was necessary, Inuyasha was always first there, but once he'd dealt with the problem, the hanyou disappeared into the darkness of the forest without a word. Kaede worried endlessly that he would simply vanish for good. She'd sensed him at the wedding of Sango and Miroku, but she was unable to coax him from the shadows even as he watched over his friends who also grieved for Inuyasha's circumstances. It was a depressing state of affairs. As she passed under the cool shade of the trees, Kaede heard rustling above her and knew Inuyasha was following her. 'He is being careless or wants me to realize he is here,' Kaede thought and then called, "Inuyasha, I will speak to thee now."

The noise ceased, but the half-demon did answer, "What, old woman?"

The priestess smiled at the sound of his voice, bereft of its' usual arrogance and confidence, and said, "Come now, child, face to face. Ye have never feared me in the past."

"Keh! As if I'm scared of you!" the surly voice spat at her, but Inuyasha leapt from above and landed gracefully in front of the priestess despite his less than welcoming attitude.

"Good, I am well aware ye miss Kagome, Inuyasha," the hanyou attempted to turn and leave, but Kaede grabbed him and decided she'd just be dragged along rather than ignored. He must have sensed her determination and relaxed his stance as he stopped to look her straight in the eye then nod toward an old log where they could sit and speak comfortably. "My friend," the priestess said softly, "my sister Kikyo returned her soul to its' rightful owner, but ye have not stopped to remember, child, Kagome is not gone – she is simply unborn." The shock on Inuyasha's face was proof he hadn't begun to contemplate the truth of his unique situation.

"K—Kaede," he stuttered, the first trace of a smile crossing his lips, "You mean I just have to stay alive to see her again!"

"Aye. Do ye recall what Kagome said the day Naraku died? She said it was the best birthday gift she'd ever gotten. Live, Inuyasha, and live well knowing that ye can see her again the day the well seals in her own time," Kaede smiled at her friend.

"I promised to protect her, Kaede," Inuyasha said softly.

"I know, as does thy brother," Kaede said.

"You spoke to Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha looked bewildered.

"Yes, he worries for your state of mind as I do," Kaede knew Sesshomaru had spoken to the half-demon. When Inuyasha refused to listen, the elder demon had found her and given her the necessary charm Inuyasha would need to make it through the coming world Sesshomaru expected. He'd told Kaede it was his belief that the time of demons was coming to a close, and while some might survive the future, it was evident that humans would rule, simply due to their growing numbers. Kouga's tribe had already been slaughtered in their den less than two days after Naraku's defeat by a vengeful and war mongering human. There were few survivors. Kaede feared for Inuyasha, as did his brother who told her that he'd gained insight into his younger sibling that forced him to change his opinion of the boy and admit Inuyasha was formidable and worthy of respect. He'd also offered her the hint of a smile as he'd announced, "I have also had to alter my opinions of humanity, Priestess." The Lord of the West had then handed her the charm, bowed and left without another word.

"What did he say?" Inuyasha demanded.

"He said you'll need to hide yourself in the human world… Times are changing, and he does not think many demons will live to see the next five hundred years unless they discover how to hide themselves properly from humans. Thy brother entrusted me with this charm, Inuyasha, ye must wear it all times to appear human."

"Sesshomaru did something for me? Are you sure this thing won't kill me?" Inuyasha asked.

"I sense no evil intent from the bracelet."

"Keh, that bastard probably knows I'd just find a way to kill him if he tried tricking me," boasted the half-demon, "but Kaede, how many lifetimes do you think Kagome will have before I see her again?

Kaede looked at Inuyasha nervously and said, "I do not know. What are ye thinking, child?"

"That I will protect her, old woman, no matter where or who she is. I will always find Kagome, and when she is Kagome Higurashi, I'll be waiting for her to step out of the well on the sixteenth year of her birth, of course."

"Inuyasha! Do not meddle with what is to be! Ye must let Kagome's soul grow and travel where it is supposed to, or the Kagome we know might not exist," Kaede adamantly stated. She was horrified by Inuyasha's line of thinking.

"I said protect, old woman, not take before it's time," Inuyasha growled, "but you will not stop me from watching over her – no matter who she becomes. Just know that Kagome Higurashi is mine, and I swear to you I will never put her at risk. I'm not as stupid as you and that damn monk think."

Kaede watched as the half-demon turned and ran deeper in the forest yelling, "Maybe I'll see you again soon too!" She shook with anger but knew that Inuyasha would always be the headstrong creature she had come to love, and at least she knew her friend would keep his promise.


	2. Chapter 1

1898, April

London, England

Emily Pennywhistle rarely saw many foreigners in her life; when the young man with eyes so black they flashed violet stepped in front of her, she yelped in shock and apologized profusely for her rudeness. He wore his long, thick, black hair pulled behind him and he bowed, slightly tipping his hat to Emily who blushed rather violently. Her brother, Thomas Pennywhistle, stopped short and tipped his hat in return.

The strange gentlemen before them smiled politely, his eyes never leaving Emily, and said, "Forgive me, sir, miss, I believe I am rather lost," his voice was soft and soothing and left Emily feeling like she'd known him a long time ago. His voice also held the only the barest trace of an accent, and Emily assumed he'd been tutored well in the English language.

"Quite all right, sir," Thomas said jovially, "It is extraordinarily easy to lose oneself in these streets. Did you just come to London?"

"Yes, actually, on business for my elder brother," the man spoke pleasantly.

"I see," Thomas smiled broadly, "I am Mr. Thomas Pennywhistle, and this is my sister, Miss Emily Pennywhistle, would you by chance be Mr. Ian Higurashi?"

"Yes, I am, sir," said the stranger, looking a bit surprised, "I was looking for the offices of Pennywhistle Textiles," Emily watched the young man's eyes twinkle, and she again felt the strange sense of déjà vu. She also had the feeling Mr. Higurashi had known precisely who she and Thomas were as soon as he'd approached them even if he hadn't expected Thomas to realize who he was; she dismissed her feeling for romantic fancy because there was simply no way this man could have known her or her brother. It was obvious he'd merely run into them on the way to her father's offices.

"You're in luck, Mr. Higurashi, my father mentioned your arrival should be today, and here you are! Emily and I were stopping by with papers for our father before I escorted her to the church, we'd be happy if you would agree to accompany us."

"I would be honored," Mr. Higurashi replied, bowing to both Thomas and Emily who finally found the courage to speak.

"Mr. Higurashi, sir," she asked, "Might I ask from where you have come?"

"Japan, originally, but my brother wished me to oversee his trade and shipping office and sent me to London almost four months past. He wrote to me recently of your family, Miss Pennywhistle, he said your father's company is well known for fair business dealings and honesty throughout the growing world," he smiled openly, but Emily felt there was much more to his story.

"Your English is astoundingly good," Thomas rudely stated, but Emily noticed it didn't seem to offend her father's new business contact.

Instead he said, "My brother tells me I have an aptitude for learning languages that he wished to exploit wisely, and he has done just that over the years. I have been grateful for his trust in our partnership," the words sounded humble and soul wrenching to Emily.

As the trio walked down the busy and rather chaotic street, Emily couldn't help but feel the man speaking companionably with her brother was watching her surreptitiously, and she could feel her cheeks flame. He was handsome, charming and, most importantly, sounded very kind-hearted even if he also seemed a bit stiff with English customs. Her father, a rather boisterous and successful businessman, was an easy-going man who would no doubt enjoy the stranger's lively and warm conversation. Mr. Higurashi was undoubtedly intelligent, well traveled and quite genuine, in short, the sort of man her father would respect and find a more than acceptable business partner. She was sorry to see the walk with their new acquaintance come to an end so quickly as the offices of Pennywhistle Textiles came into view, but she knew her father, at least, would be pleased.

After introducing Mr. Higurashi to the elder Mr. Pennywhistle and sharing a few pleasantries with her father, Emily wished the exotic young man a good day and hoped she'd get the chance to see him again soon. She spent the rest of her day at the church daydreaming over her encounter, which didn't precisely endear her to her companions as they planned for the upcoming benefit to be held for London's many orphans.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Inuyasha, excited and ready to burst with joy, waited for Sesshomaru impatiently. It had been nearly twenty years since Kagome's last reincarnation walked the earth; by the time he'd met her, she was seventy-two and well on her way to her next life. The reincarnation prior to the dark gypsy woman hadn't lasted in the world very long, but Inuyasha loved each of the reincarnations with a fierce devotion that bordered on unhealthy obsession. Sesshomaru often pointed out that these people were technically Kikyo's reincarnations, but Inuyasha had never been able to think of them in that light. When Kagome had shown up in Ireland (a wild and magical place both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had loved) as a Celtic priestess called Nimue, who was as formidable as she was intelligent and beautiful with her cornflower blue eyes, silken red hair and runes tattooed across her arms, Inuyasha had been able to show her his true form while she danced wildly around the spring fires. Nimue had embraced him with a passion that seemed primal. It had been so hard to let that woman go on to the next world, but he knew he must wait patiently for his Kagome, the real Kagome, to be born and defeat Naraku before he could make her his.

He'd felt the pull of her soul to his so many times, but the hardest by far had been coming to terms with the fact that Sesshomaru's ward, Rin, had been the very first reincarnation of Kikyo. Sesshomaru, of course, didn't give a damn what Inuyasha had wanted where the girl had been concerned, and he had been forced to be content with watching her grow up, marry and be allowed to live a normal human life. Sesshomaru had told Rin to marry for love and promised to make sure she and any children she might have were well cared for always; Rin had said, "I want Inuyasha," but that was the one thing neither demon could allow, much to Inuyasha's dismay. Oh, he'd wanted her as well, but Kaede's warnings stuck with him, and he'd ended up promising his protection to Rin and her children. In the end, she'd married a wealthy artisan who had loved the ground upon which she'd tread, but Rin was never able to have children of her own. They were a happy couple, and well known in their region for taking in unwanted and orphaned children. Sesshomaru had offered his sympathy to his younger brother when Rin married, the two long since having set aside differences and becoming allies, but Inuyasha did not want sympathy. He wanted Kagome, and each time he felt her soul call to him, he went willingly only to watch her grow old and die yet again, always waiting for the next moment of her birth.

By the time trade routes between European and Asian nations were becoming well established, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha had already seen most of the world and become the most powerful traders the demon world and human worlds would ever know. It had been Sesshomaru's suggestion to adopt the name Higurashi, and Inuyasha's to use European first names while in European countries. He had chosen Ian, meaning God is gracious, because it summed up his feelings well, and Sesshomaru had decided upon Ryan, which meant young royal. It was in that moment Inuyasha discovered his elder brother loved irony. To date, it had been at least seventy-five years since either of them had used their real names with anyone but each other and Jaken; Inuyasha had to laugh when even Myoga began referring to him them as "The Lords Ryan and Ian". Still, if it hadn't been for Sesshomaru's determination to keep Inuyasha tied to the world around him, the half-demon would have probably sunk into despair each time he waited for news of a new reincarnation. Other than Rin, Kagome was always born as one of the spiritually gifted, and Inuyasha was certain that her life as Rin had been a gift from the kami to give her one normal lifetime where her soul would begin healing. He still missed the exuberant and vital woman Rin had grown into, but Sesshomaru had reminded him many times, "Because of Rin, she is one step closer to becoming your reality."

Settling into a comfortable leather wingback chair, Inuyasha sat quietly in front of the warm fire. He'd already slipped out of the confining shoes and suit coat and was beginning to feel immeasurably better, but there were moments he missed running through the wilds barefoot – a brief flash of silver and red that startled and confused any who might see. The firerat robes, packed away more than a century, remained in excellent condition, and Inuyasha looked forward to the day he would be able to remove his bracelet, don his old clothes and pick up the Tessaiga, but he knew dwelling on distant dreams wouldn't make the time pass faster. For now, he would contemplate this new reincarnation, Emily Pennywhistle; he knew in the deepest recesses of her soul, she must recognize him. They always did, and while none of them was ever quite Kagome Higurashi, each of the people who'd owned the soul forged the path ahead for Kagome. Watching the process each time had been beautiful and terrible to behold.

Deep in his melancholy state, Inuyasha ignored the opening door until Sesshomaru asked, "Well, little brother?"

"It's her," he answered, looking up from the dancing flames, "she knew me."

Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow and said, "So you always say."

"She's more like the Kagome I know, more than she ever has been...she's so beautiful," Inuyasha said wistfully, contemplating Emily's brown hair and deep green eyes. 'She's so pale though,' he thought sadly, 'she needs fresh air. London will choke us all on its' damned smoke and stench.'

Sesshomaru nodded, only Inuyasha was able to see his brother's faint smile and know the other demon was glad for him; tomorrow the Higurashi brothers would enter a contract with Mr. Pennywhistle, and Ian would befriend Emily.

"I assume her spiritual powers are intact?" asked the Lord of the West.

Inuyasha replied, "Yes, but it's fuckin' obvious she hasn't been trained. She's probably a Christian this time, Sesshomaru."

"All religions have their place and value," the demon commented dryly.

"Feh," Inuyasha practically growled, but at least he could relax and speak casually around his brother. He hated using the manners Sesshomaru insisted he learn; Inuyasha also understood playing by human rules was a necessity if he wished to get near Emily.

**AN: Thank to all who reviewed – especially MetsukiKaraTen!**


	3. Chapter 2

1898, September

Sakura Manor

Emily had never met the elder Higurashi, but Ian had told her his brother was a kind gentleman who was looking forward to meeting the entire Pennywhistle family. The Higurashi brothers had quickly become her father's favorite business partners over the past few months, and according to Mr. Pennywhistle, one would be hard pressed to find two more upstanding men in the business world. Unfortunately, only she and Thomas had been available to join the Higurashis in their newly purchased estate. It had once been the home of a lord, but Thomas told Emily the man had died without family or chosen heir, thus the house became available for purchase. Once known as Winston-Phelps Hall, Ryan Higurashi had rechristened the estate Sakura Manor, a name that intrigued Emily greatly. She assumed it must be a small manor home, perhaps even a country home, and she felt it was probably the sort of place two young men would make more of a bachelor's retreat than a real home. As she and Thomas approached the main gate, Emily stared in awe at the immaculate grounds. Neither could see the house yet, but Emily had the distinct feeling her assumption that it was a smaller home was dead wrong as they passed through the wrought iron gates. The road lined with quince trees wound its' way closer to the estate; Emily found herself feeling rather small and insignificant. The house was the very picture of Elizabethan architecture, and both Emily and Thomas couldn't help but admire the beauty of the sun reflecting off large windows, the enchanting fountain, the pear tree orchard and the many formal gardens surrounding the house. The front of the house faced a small lake, and Emily suddenly recalled Ian telling her father he should feel free to come visit and fish at his leisure. It was obvious she hadn't realized that, in terms of station, she was far below what the Higurashi brothers must be used to entertaining. Emily couldn't quite believe how little she had grasped when her father had said, "They are real gentlemen, Emily, you and Thomas must behave accordingly, my dear, but I expect there shall be no abuse of their generosity or hospitality." Of course, her father did not hold the same prejudices many people did about foreigners, and so she had believed he simply meant they were truly decent people whom she should do her best not to offend. Now Emily felt her lungs constrict and heart race!

"Thomas! Why did you not tell me? I am sure to make a complete fool of myself in front of them," she groaned.

Thomas smiled rather guiltily and whispered in reply, "I honestly hadn't thought of it, Em, I am sorry. Dearest girl, you mustn't worry though! Both Mr. Higurashi and Mr. Ian have been nothing but the best of chaps to me, and I honestly think they are men who choose their companions based on their fondness of people rather than on artifice. When I met Mr. Higurashi in London, he was quite charming and genuine. I have no doubt of his character, and you have already met Mr. Ian yourself more than once these past months, sister, do not assume you will be anything more than welcomed kindly by both men."

"All right, Thomas, but you must at least tell me something more substantial of Mr. Higurashi's character before we arrive," Emily said nervously.

"He is a quiet gentleman who seems, at least to me, to appreciate intellect, common sense and logic. All traits you, dearest, were lucky enough with which to be endowed," Thomas smiled broadly, and Emily felt her heart slow and breathing calm just a bit.

When the carriage slowed, she was astonished to see Mr. Ian waiting for them. She assumed a servant had notified him of their arrival, but it seemed odd, although rather endearing, that one of the gentlemen of a great house would bother standing about on the front steps waiting like a child for Father Christmas. As always, she felt the strange pull to be near him and wondered what her father would think that she entertained hopes of earning the young man's affections; of course, after seeing the house, she had no doubt his marriage was long ago arranged and most likely to a woman in his homeland of equal social status. From what Mr. Ian had told her of Japan, there were just as many arranged marriages and sad tales to be had on his shores as there were in England.

The carriage halted, the door opened and Emily heard, "How was your trip? Uneventful I hope?"

"Yes, Ian, couldn't have asked for better," Thomas replied, "Father sends his best as well as his thanks for use of the carriage." Thomas and Ian had long ago set aside formalities and referred to one another companionably as two childhood friends or even brothers might.

"Not at all," said Ian, as he offered his arm to Emily and helped her from the carriage step.

"My brother will be with us in a moment," Ian told them, "He just arrived from town and wanted to speak with the staff about this evening's meal. Now, tell me, Miss Emily, how did you fare?"

"Wonderfully, thank you," she answered, adding, "The land and house are quite beautiful."

"Would you like me to escort you about the grounds?" Ian asked.

"That would be lovely," Emily answered, striving to use her best manners and be as gracious as possible.

Ian smiled warmly and continued, "As soon as you've met Ryan and had a chance to refresh yourselves, I shall give you the grand tour. Before I forget, Thomas, did I tell you Miss Wently is to join us by weeks end?"

Emily took note of the deep shade of plum her brother turned, as well as Ian's sly grin, and strained not to laugh as she said, "Is she? I had no idea you knew the Wently family, Mr. Ian, my brother has always been quite fond of Miss Wently and her sisters. Miss Olivia is, after all, an amiable girl. Father says she and her sisters are a credit to her parents, and I must say I am inclined to agree with his assessment."

"Your father is a kind man and excellent judge of character, Miss Emily," a voice interrupted, "Forgive the intrusion."

Ian turned to face the other man and said, "Ryan! Good to see you could manage to make it out of the kitchen alive after all. I suppose Mrs. Anderson is ready to roast you for tonight's dinner, eh?" Ian faced Emily and Thomas and said, "Mrs. Anderson does not like it when Ryan tampers with her menus, but my apologies to you. You have yet to meet my brother, Miss Emily, this is Mr. Ryan Higurashi. Ryan, you've met Thomas of course, but may I present his charming younger sister, Miss Emily Pennywhistle."

Emily curtsied and inclined her head toward Ryan Higurashi who, to her surprise, bowed rather formally and said smoothly, "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Emily, I assure you."

Perhaps it was the familiarity with which he used her name that caused Emily to look up at that moment, but she had never in her life seen any man with such an intense gaze. Forgetting any sense of propriety, she gasped aloud. This man standing in front of her was astoundingly beautiful, odd to find a man beautiful, but she could think of no other word to describe him. Like his younger brother, he had eyes so black they seemed violet and hair that shimmered like polished onyx. His features were fine, delicate even, but masculine and strong; he was a man who exemplified charm, poise and, above all, confidence, but he was also a man whose very stance insisted on a certain amount of distance. Next to him, Ian seemed relaxed and carefree.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

"ARRRRGHH!" Inuyasha yelled in frustration. He was tired of pretenses, manners and stupid English customs that required him to pretend he was someone he wasn't. He hadn't had a single chance to be alone with Emily since he'd met her, and he certainly hadn't had a chance to act like himself around her. In fact, Sesshomaru made a point of reminding him daily that his behavior would determine whether or not he'd even be allowed to see the girl again; English society was exceedingly stuffy and boring as far as the half-demon could see. Most of the conventions any society had to offer were pointless in his estimation. His only relief, thus far, had been the purchase of the estate, which afforded him an expanse of grounds where he could run and leap as much as he pleased in hopes of burning off some of his pent up energy. Sesshomaru swore that it was Inuyasha's youth that caused him to feel so much like a caged animal and said he would eventually grow out of it, but when the younger demon asked how long that would take, Sesshomaru had sighed and replied, "Maturity comes with experience." That was no real answer! And surely even the great high and mighty Lord of the West felt constricted now and then? If he did, he never showed that side of himself, though Inuyasha had seen his brother walking alone in the moonlight while gazing longingly at the stars, but it was rare moment Sesshomaru seemed to allow himself the luxury.

He growled at nothing and muttered, "Damn stupid way to spend a day! Kagome should be training to use her powers!" The half-demon punched a chair and shredded a pillow before continuing to complain, "This is fucking idiotic! When will Shippou get here?"

"Emily," Sesshomaru corrected before replying, "The fox arrives in a week, and I daresay you won't have time to be bored then. Inuyasha, only the minds of the simple allow themselves to stagnate in boredom."

"Feh!" Inuyasha snarled as he attacked another pillow, "I am NOT bored!"

"Little brother, your antics are distracting. Come, we will train," Sesshomaru announced as he closed his book and placed it on a small table. They often trained together in the late hours of the night since neither of them needed much sleep, and as usual, the brothers changed into their sparring clothes and met in what had been the ballroom. As soon as Sesshomaru had seen the light and beautifully airy room, he'd had the drapes, grand piano, rugs, paintings and all furnishings removed and carefully stored in the attic. With nearly sixty rooms at their disposal, Sesshomaru decided it certainly wouldn't hurt him or Inuyasha to have one place they could easily use for practice. The servants' quarters at the back of the main house on the first floor weren't fully staffed simply because Sesshomaru preferred his privacy. Most of the cleaning staff came in daily from a nearby village around four in the morning and left by three in the afternoon. Only the head housekeeper, butler, cook, cook's assistant, two maids, the head of the grounds and stables, and four stable boys lived on the premises. Everyone had plenty of space and knew never to intrude on the masters of the house when the ballroom doors were closed. The fewer people in the house, the smaller the chance of wagging tongues in the village tavern; of course, Inuyasha knew Sesshomaru paid each of the servants handsomely for their silence. When demons visited, all the servants were given time off and excused from the premises. Thus far, the system was working out well, and Inuyasha had to admire his brother's ability to command respect and loyalty from people over the centuries.

The wood floor felt smooth and cool against Inuyasha's feet as he walked across it to meet Sesshomaru in the middle of the room. For keeping in shape, each used a high quality katana that any collector would have given a small fortune just to hold, but the brothers agreed that using mystical swords and demonic power was forbidden in training sessions. For Inuyasha, it had meant relearning sword techniques from scratch, but he'd mastered his weapon over the centuries and become an elegant fighter and brilliant strategist.

The two bowed to each other before beginning their fight, each measuring the other and taking sparring just as seriously as they would have any real fight they'd had in the past. Inuyasha had learned to be patient and assess his brother's stance and measured looks, but some things never changed: He was always the first to begin. The hanyou stepped quickly forward, raising his katana slightly and bringing it down against Sesshomaru who blocked the blow easily. Their swords flashed brilliantly in the moonlight that streamed into the room, and any human who might walk in would first notice the speed at which they fought, which was obviously inhuman. As they blocked, spun, danced and leapt gracefully around each other, each became hyper-focused on the fight. Neither Inuyasha nor Sesshomaru had lost their competitive nature, but their alliance was no longer tentative; while their fight might have appeared truly deadly to an onlooker, they fought with strange sense of affection that only comes after many years of painful hatred and a subsequent reconciliation. They'd finally become the brothers their father had wished for them to be. So engrossed in their sparring, neither noticed when the door to the ballroom opened slightly. They continued fighting furiously, swords clashing as they blocked and parried rapidly, and just as Sesshomaru was about to win this round, a young woman's voice called out, "NO!"

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha stopped instantly, each startled as Emily ran toward them. Her face was a ghostly white in the dim room, and from her expression, Inuyasha knew their actions horrified the girl.

"You're going to kill one another!" Emily shouted at them, and the half-demon had to grin. Gods, she sounded so much like Kagome.

Sesshomaru raised his eyebrow delicately and said, "Miss Emily, I take it you were unable to sleep?"

She jumped, her appearance startled, and looked taken aback by Sesshomaru's composure. "Wh…wh…what?" she stammered hesitantly.

"Did we wake you?" Inuyasha asked.

Emily looked unsure of what to say to the two men in front of her and finally answered, "No, I sometimes have difficulty sleeping. I was hoping to find a book in the library when I heard the noise."

Sesshomaru was the first to say, "I apologize if we frightened you, Miss Emily, Ian and I are in the habit of training in the night sometimes."

"This is, quite possibly, the most dangerous and immature activity I have ever seen two intelligent men conducting," she snapped indignantly.

Inuyasha grinned broadly at Sesshomaru before he said, "Feh! This is hardly anything new to us, woman," he was beginning to feel like himself.

"Woman? My name is Em-i-ly Pennywhistle, and I would thank you to remember it, Mr. Ian Higurashi," she practically snarled.

Inuyasha wanted to whoop in delight. 'Oh, this was fun,' he thought gleefully, but he felt Sesshomaru's hand on his shoulder, a subtle warning not to fuck up more than they already had with their late night fighting. Instead, he reverted to his Ian persona and said softly, "Forgive me, Miss Emily, I am sometimes rash in my manner of speaking. English confounds me on occasion," he lied smoothly and hated himself for doing so.

Her face softened and she bowed her head and said, "Thank you, sir, I am afraid I must apologize for interfering. I have no right to tell either of you how to comport yourselves; I'm sure Thomas and Father would be most displeased. May I ask why you were…training so late?"

"Of course," Inuyasha answered, once again thinking how much he hated pretense, "Ryan and I have been trained in the art of defense since were small children. Much of our training included learning to develop and rely upon all of our senses, and if one is forced to defend oneself in the dark, one must be able to hear as well as one sees." Sesshomaru nodded his agreement almost imperceptibly. He apparently found Inuyasha's explanation satisfactory.

"I had not considered that possibility," Emily said, "of course, women are not trained in the art of war."

That, Inuyasha, believed was a pity and shame because both he and Sesshomaru could point to many instances when they'd faced women who fought just as fiercely as they had. For a moment, he could swear he saw Sango's ghost standing in front of him smiling and shaking her head at the girl beside him. Oh, he'd long ago realized strength wasn't just about fighting well, but he couldn't understand the human custom that insisted no woman ever learn to defend herself properly. Sesshomaru said half the human world's problems could be tied to the simple fact that most had embraced a patriarchal society when they should be stressing equality, and Inuyasha was inclined to agree. Heaven knew too many women had died at the hands of rapists and murderers when he was still racing through the forests of Japan with Kagome clinging to his back. He looked forward to a time when women were given more credit. Of course, he neglected to remember that he too had once held women in contempt for the most part, always assuming they were weak and fragile and in need of protection. It had been Kikyo who first changed his mind, followed by Sango who reinforced the idea; that woman could hit hard.

Realizing he'd been staring at Emily, Inuyasha shook himself free of his reverie and asked the young woman if he could escort her to the library. She smiled happily and said she would like it very much. Sesshomaru bowed and said, "I leave you in Ian's capable hands and bid you both a good night," the half-demon was well aware of the warning in his elder brother's eye.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

Ian Higurashi had been the perfect gentleman to Emily as he guided her to the family library, and Emily was delighted to discover so many precious books housed in one easy to access place. There were comfortable chairs, a lovely piano-forte, several tables and a roaring fire that just begged to be used for long afternoons of reading the latest work of fiction or a classic book of Greek poems. She'd nearly leapt for joy to discover several essays on Mozart and his operas; when she'd been inducted into polite society, Emily had been taken on an outing to see _The Marriage of Figaro_, which remained one of her fondest memories to date. She caressed the spine of the tome lovingly and heard Ian's breath intake sharply.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Ian, is this book not for reading?" she asked. To her dismay, the young man next to her had become quite pale.

Ian's gaze seemed fixated on her hand as he said, "Books are for reading, Miss Emily, not collecting dust. That is actually one of my favorites."

"Have you seen the opera?"

"Many times," Ian replied.

Curious to know more, Emily asked, "What did you think of it?"

"It's a story like any other; none of the people are real, but you still find yourself mesmerized by their desires and dreams. Figaro loves Susanna and wants to be only with her. He doesn't care what obstacles he must face, and in the end, despite the meddling Count who would steal her way, he wins," answered the young man.

"So…I take it you are a great romantic," Emily teased.

"Feh, not so great," Ian whispered as Emily turned toward him and smiled. This was the second time in one evening he'd let his guard down a bit around her, and she found herself just as charmed by his rough mannerisms as she had been by his gentility.

Ian suddenly moved closer to her. His hand appeared to move like a spoon through molasses as he reached for her, and Emily's cheek tingled with a warm jolt as his fingertips made contact with her skin; she felt as though she might do something incredibly stupid in a moment if he did not cease his ministrations. Her breath caught in her throat as she tilted her head further into the feather-light strokes of his fingers against her heated skin.

"You are so beautiful," he murmured, "sometimes you make me wish…"

His demeanor changed abruptly before her eyes and he stammered, "I—I am sorry, Emily, please forgive me for overstepping boundaries." He turned and left the room without another word.

Bewildered and shaken, Emily sat down in a nearby chair and pondered her situation. Was it possible Ian Higurashi had fallen in love with her? She wanted to believe it but knew, despite what she wanted, that they could never have a relationship. Without being certain how she understood the situation so intimately, Emily could only say that she felt as if a great scale would tip the wrong way had she done what she wanted and kissed Ian Higurashi with all the passion she felt for him. Exhausted and confused, she fell asleep in her chair as she contemplated Ian and Ryan. Their actions had been strange this evening, but who was she to tell two grown men what to do with their time and lives? She also had no business entertaining any sort of designs on Ian when it was quite obvious he must be promised to someone else; Emily sighed in defeat and slid into a dreamless sleep. When she awoke the next morning, she discovered someone with very muddy feet and moved her to her bed.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

1899, March

Inuyasha still couldn't get over the change in Shippou who had become a much more reserved and thoughtful individual over the passing of time. While young and mourning Kagome's abrupt disappearance, he had gone to live with Sango and Miroku who treated him just as they had their own children. By the time he was beginning to mature, Sango and Miroku were well on their way to the next life, and their own children were grown and enjoying their own grandchildren! Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had warned the couple how slowly Shippou would grow, but neither Sango nor Miroku cared because they loved the boy dearly; when Sango died at the very old age of 92, Shippou had buried his adopted mother and mourned deeply as he held the man he called his father in his arms. Both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha had been present for the funeral service, and each marveled over how large the family had become. Miroku and Sango had given each other seven children, all boys, and from those seven children, all had managed to live and thrive well into adulthood only to be married and have children of their own. Between them, there were twenty-eight children and too many grandchildren to even try counting. Sango had insisted her first granddaughter be named Kagome, and Inuyasha had watched over and protected the little girl simply for her namesake. Miroku passed a few weeks after Sango died, and Shippou couldn't bear the thought of remaining home without them. In the end, it was decided he would work for Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, just as several of his adopted brothers had done. He'd proven to be an apt pupil with a flair for, of all things, diplomacy! Sesshomaru felt it made Shippou an ideal liaison to work between the demon and human world; Inuyasha knew his brother had never once regretted his trust in the young demon.

Like Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, Shippou also wore a charm to keep his true form concealed, but an odd thing happened the more the world seemed to expand. Most people assumed that Shippou, or Sean as he was known, was Irish thanks to his deep auburn hair and sparkling green eyes. He was tall, much taller than most humans and even many demons, but as long as he stayed in his human form, it no longer mattered if he wore his charm.

Still, he was very young and sometimes a bit immature despite being a wonderful diplomat. Inuyasha had nearly brained him the day he'd met Emily Pennywhistle. In his haste to get to her, Shippou had knocked over several people and grabbed the young woman in a bear hug; the carefully cultivated personas both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha had worked so hard to present to prying eyes were almost shattered in that instant until Shippou jumped away and apologized profusely saying, "Please, my apologies! I have heard so many good things about you from your brother I felt I had nearly gained a sister myself!" Everyone in the room had laughed politely and Emily had forgiven him immediately while Inuyasha turned green with envy. He'd never so much as dared to kiss the girl's hand since that night in the library for fear of starting something he would be unable to stop, and in those moments, he could swear he heard Kaede scolding him even as the old woman laughed.

In truth, it was difficult to share lives with any mortal, but sharing lives with mortals who can never know what one truly is nearly killed Inuyasha. Having Shippou around lightened the atmosphere at the estate considerably, and even Inuyasha felt more at ease and able to speak freely around the humans who had become a constant in their lives. It seemed one or all of the Pennywhistle family was always around the estate, and when Thomas announced his impending marriage to Miss Olivia Wently, Sesshomaru immediately offered to host the entire affair as a wedding gift. Unfortunately for Inuyasha, Emily's father had been the first to hint to him, "Perhaps we shall hear of another marriage soon," as he looked fondly from the half-demon to his daughter who blushed prettily.

Shippou had listened to Inuyasha rage and storm that evening, "I'm sick of waiting! I want her now!" He'd then run off to the surrounding woods, clawed feet breaking a window as he leapt to the grounds, and it had taken days for Sesshomaru to persuade the temperamental hanyou to return home. The servants had even begun to wonder if wild dogs had taken up residence on the grounds and some were afraid to travel from the village to work.

"This racket you're making must cease," Sesshomaru ordered, and then threatened, "I will send you back to northern Russia, Inuyasha, you can deal with Kouga!" Of the few wolves to survive, Kouga had fared well, resettled and finally mated Ayame, much to Inuyasha's relief, but he didn't care that the wolf demon had formed a treaty with Sesshomaru. Some wounds ran too deep.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

A few days after Inuyasha's tantrum had run its' course, Sesshomaru and Shippou cajoled and wheedled the hanyou into joining them for a meal in newly planted cherry tree orchard. It would be several years before the trees bore fruit, but Inuyasha knew his elder brother had been thrilled to bring something from their homeland to their new home. As the three demons ate, Sesshomaru finally placed his fork on his plate and said, "I have concerns for Emily, little brother, her scent has changed."

"You've seen her? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Inuyasha growled.

"You were too busy throwing a fit," Shippou said tactlessly, "besides, you knew Sesshomaru had business in London yesterday. You could've gone with him and invited her here for a stay if you hadn't been so busy sulking in the woods!"

"Silence," Sesshomaru intervened before things went from bad to worse, "little brother, you will refrain from hitting Shippou. As for you, my trusted diplomat, make better use of your skills with Inuyasha or suffer the consequences one day."

"Feh! Yeah, don't blame me if cook suddenly finds herself in charge of roasting kitsune," Inuyasha glared at the younger demon who merely grinned in reply.

"As I was saying," said Sesshomaru, "something is wrong with Emily, and I think it would be in her best interest to get out of London for a prolonged stay here. You have said it enough, Inuyasha, London is a dirty place that can be good for neither body nor soul."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sesshomaru stared into the swelling nighttime abyss and pondered his brother and Emily Pennywhistle. There was no denying the younger demon was just as in love with this reincarnation as he had been Nimue; that had nearly been a disaster. Inuyasha, depressed and adrift in a sea of self-pity, had finally found the delicate Celtic priestess whose body swayed with a dark and enigmatic magic that even the Lord of the West found intoxicating. She'd seen them hiding amidst the trees as she called upon her goddess under the full moon, and the woman had welcomed them both with open arms. Her words, alien and harsh to the ear, held a note of yearning as Nimue had grasped at Inuyasha. In time, both demons would learn her language and understand she'd believed both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were her god made flesh; she'd offered herself to them both, and Sesshomaru had been forced to hold Inuyasha, drunk on strange sweet wine and the fumes of magical herbs, tightly to his body in order to keep his younger brother from claiming the woman. From that point onward, neither demon approached Nimue when she worked her magic. She was an ethereal being who seemed less a part of the growing world than either of the demons, and on her death-bed, she'd screamed to Inuyasha in Japanese, "I am coming, Inuyasha, I won't forget you!"

Unfortunately, Sesshomaru had realized he too had become far more entwined with the soul of this human miko than he had ever realized. Each time she recognized Inuyasha, Sesshomaru felt a twinge of regret that the girl did not belong to him. Now it was Emily, and Sesshomaru knew this girl would not be in their world much longer; her scent held a disturbing note of decay – as though the girl was rotting from the inside, and Sesshomaru was not certain if the idea of losing Emily disturbed him more or the idea of losing Inuyasha should his younger brother discover he had fallen in love with his intended mate. Who was this woman that she could command the attention and affections of so many so easily?


	4. Chapter 3

Pennywhistle Textiles

1899, April

Shippou walked into Mr. Pennywhistle's office and waited for the man to invite him to sit; in truth, the young demon didn't enjoy the mundane life business dealings had to offer and would have preferred to be working through demon treaties or, better still, taking a much needed break with his human family. Dealing with other demons meant travel, and Shippou had developed a great love of wandering through the world thanks to his formative years with Inuyasha, Kagome and, of course, his adoptive parents. He often thought of Sango and Miroku with a wistful yearning to hug each of them one last time, and he knew soon he would make the journey home to check on his human family. One of his youngest nieces (Shippou never bothered with counting generations removed) was the spitting image of Sango, and the fox youkai insisted the girl be named after his human mother. Of course, he was the only member of the family alive to recall either Sango or Miroku, but he had commissioned several paintings of the two over the passing years. The demon slayer and former monk would never be forgotten as long as he was alive to share their stories. When young Sango was old enough, he hoped to train her in the business of diplomacy because the girl showed great promise with her keen mind and observational skills. She would have made a fine slayer once upon a time.

"Mr. MacKenna?" Mr. Pennywhistle interrupted his thoughts.

"Excuse me, sir, and please call me Sean," Shippou smiled brightly, "I prefer less formality in life than my colleagues."

Mr. Pennywhistle laughed amiably, "Of course, Sean, I take it Mr. Higurashi is pleased with the samples I had sent to his offices?"

"Absolutely! He would like to commence with the arrangements immediately, sir, but Mr. Higurashi sent me on a more personal matter today; I am afraid I must be allowed to speak frankly," Shippou had been chosen for this task because of the three demons, he was the least likely to scare the hell out of the Pennywhistles. Inuyasha's blind anger over being helpless and Sesshomaru's intense seriousness were too much for the fox demon sometimes. He couldn't imagine how humans must feel when faced with those two on a bad day.

"Personal matter? Did my children offend him?" it was obvious the older gentleman was beginning to worry.

Shippou shook his head, "Of course not! Mr. Higurashi says they were delightful company as always, but he is concerned for Miss Emily," Shippou reminded himself to be gentle with the man, "even Mr. Ian mentioned she seemed rather pale and withdrawn during her last to the country."

"My Emily withdrawn?" Mr. Pennywhistle seemed surprised.

"May I speak candidly?" Shippou asked. He continued speaking only after the man before him nodded, "Miss Emily hardly ate or rested properly during her last stay with the Higurashi family, and your son remarked she had been uncommonly restless of late, sir, though Miss Emily insists it is nothing over which to be concerned. Mr. Higurashi and Mr. Ian would like your permission to send their physician to check on her. Dr. Cedric Kinsey is well respected and comes highly recommended; your daughter would be in the best of hands."

Mr. Pennywhistle turned an odd shade of gray and said, "What on earth do you think could be wrong with her? I cannot lose her… Sean, her mother died so horribly and in such pain…my daughter… God, my daughter! How can I refuse such a generous offer?"

"Thank you, Mr. Pennywhistle, arrangements will made as quickly as possible," Shippou leaned forward to shake the man's hand and said, "I am sure it is nothing, but friends must look out for one another." It was all he could think to say before he left the poor man to his own worries.

1899, August

Royal London Hospital

Emily Pennywhistle stared at the stark walls and small window of her room. She was tired after a week long stay filled with foul medicines and painful remedies, and she couldn't help but think of her mother, long since dead, and wonder how the woman had coped with the excruciating pain. She felt frail and old at the age of nineteen, and Emily was tired of watching her father and brother wring their hands while making promises they could not keep. Even the doctors and nurses tried to smile hopefully and talk cheerfully with her; it made her angry to think these fools truly believed they could deceive her.

The pains in her stomach had started shortly after Thomas and Olivia married, but she had kept quiet assuming her problems were nothing more than nerves due to her growing infatuation with Ian Higurashi whose affections she hoped to win. Yet Ryan Higurashi had somehow known she was troubled and sent his own doctor to her home. At first, the man offered reassurances and said he believed Emily suffered from nothing more than severe indigestion. He claimed it was common in young women who took to worrying more about others than considering their own health, and everyone had sighed in relief – except her father's business partners. She began to suspect Dr. Kinsey had said her problems were minor only to give her family a sense of hope; after she confronted him, the man had been upfront with her. He suspected she had a blood disease and would take quite some time to recover. After the doctor's declaration to her, Ian Higurashi told the man to remain in London and care for Emily personally. Her family and friends began discussing her pale and slightly malnourished appearance in great detail when she wasn't around. Ian, naturally, hadn't been above telling her how worn out she'd looked when he decided she was pushing herself! He'd actually hissed at her, "Stop working so hard, wench, that church will wait," and how she'd fumed. The nerve of that infernal man!

Dr. Kinsey put her on a restricted diet, told her to rest and perhaps take a holiday; of course, Ryan Higurashi invited Emily for a stay in the country. He'd told her she would have the servants at her disposal and run of the entire estate, and to her surprise he had even joked that ordering others to make you sweets in the middle of the night was one of the blessings of being ill. Both she and Sean laughed right along with him, but Ian had remained quiet and pensive. Emily's father and brother had agreed that a nice long stay with friends was just what the doctor had in mind for her good health.

She'd been able to eat and even breathed easier in Sakura manor, but the young woman still felt uneasy even as her health appeared to improve; perhaps it was Ian's long and forlorn sighs or the penetrating gazes from Mr. Higurashi, but she was unable to shake the feeling the two men knew far more about her illness than either would ever tell her. After two weeks, Emily stated she could no longer impose on her dear friends and returned home, and two days later she'd collapsed after vomiting copious amounts of blood. Her father made arrangements to have her taken to hospital.

Now she sat in an uncomfortable bed awaiting her release. Her long hair, tied back by a bit of white ribbon, hung lank and heavy against her back, and she knew her eyes had lost much of the shine for which she had been complimented regularly through her life. As of today, it was decided she would return to the Higurashi estate with Olivia for an escort and companionship because her father was sure getting away from London would greatly improve her health. Emily had to admit she was looking forward to being pampered by the attentive care of her friends and sister-in-law, but she felt guilty over being a burden to everyone. Olivia was a gem of woman who always seemed to know when a person needed quiet or a comforting word, and Emily was glad to have such a great friend in her brother's wife. She was also sorry to pull Olivia away from Thomas given that they hadn't been married long, but Thomas swore nothing was too good for his little sister; Ian had quietly whispered, though she didn't believe he knew she heard, "I agree."

She knew Ian and her father were talking softly in the hall that very moment, and Olivia would soon arrive to help her get ready for the long journey. The young woman was so tired of pain and even more tired of feeling strange and disconnected from herself whenever her doctor forced more pain medication into her, still, she supposed being asleep was better than screaming.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

1899, September

Taisho Manor

Inuyasha could smell the impending death on Emily, and while his mind understood his beautiful girl was only taking the next step in her long journey, he couldn't help but rage inside against what was happening. If she couldn't be with him, she should at least be able to have a normal and happy life with someone! Anything was better than this stench of decay and awful suffering. The poor girl writhed in pain, tears streaming down her cheeks that Inuyasha was unable to stop. Olivia sat next to him, always ready with a cool cloth and soothing word; the hanyou would forever be grateful to her.

"You should get some rest, Mr. Ian," she whispered, "you've been here almost two full days."

He shook his head sorrowfully and said, "I keep hoping she'll wake, Mrs. Pennywhistle, I keep hoping…"

"Please, call me Olivia, you and Thomas have become like brothers, you know, and I understand what it is that you hope," she told him sincerely.

Inuyasha smiled gratefully, "Thomas is a lucky man, Olivia."

"Thank you. May we speak openly?"

"Yes, please," said Inuyasha, all too happy to speak frankly with someone.

"Have you told her you love her, Mr. Ian?" Olivia asked quietly.

Inuyasha looked at the sleeping girl on her sickbed, "If I'm to call you Olivia, you'll have to call me Ian," he evaded the question.

"All right, Ian, now answer the question," Olivia was not a woman to be deterred.

He gazed into Olivia's eyes and realized her stare was almost as penetrating as his brother's gaze. "No, I haven't told Emily I love her," he said quietly.

"You must! Everyone already knows you do, foolish man, you will never forgive yourself if you do not let this girl and her family know how you feel before she dies," Inuyasha tried to interrupt, "No, you must listen to reason. I understand how you might have felt…people can be quite prejudiced for the wrong reasons, but I know for a fact that my father-in-law and husband would have never objected to your pursuing Emily on the basis of your nationality! I believe Father even hoped for a union between the two of you."

Inuyasha sighed, hating this conversation and the fact that he would have to lie, especially to someone he respected as much as he'd respected Kaede, "Ryan and I do not often speak of our homeland, Olivia, but we are bound to it and our family duty even when faced with changes either of us would happily embrace. My marriage was arranged when I was a child. Only Kagome can release me from my future with her, and that will never happen because neither of us would allow it." He hadn't told her the full truth because he had been unable to say aloud that Kagome was as much a part of himself as he was, but he also hadn't made the worst sort of liar out of himself.

"I understand," Olivia said, tears in her deep brown eyes, "it must be difficult to love two women, especially when you can never tell one of them. If you have no objections, I think I would like to walk a bit and perhaps get some rest." She smiled sadly at Inuyasha who understood she was trying to give him time alone with Emily.

He nodded and replied, "Of course, if you happen to see my brother, will you let him know I'll see him for dinner this evening?" Olivia nodded, leaving the room quietly.

Inuyasha turned to face the sleeping girl. He took her hand in his gently and said, "Soon, I swear."

Emily shuddered a bit and opened her eyes; despite the pain she must have felt, her face beamed with obvious happiness over seeing Ian. She coughed a bit and whispered, "I _am_ glad to see you."

Inuyasha returned her smile, "Is there anything I can do for you, Miss…Emily? Emily, anything, just say it and it's yours." He could hear the desperation in his own voice.

The young woman smiled weakly and shook her head, "My father and brother will be here soon," her voice shook a bit and sounded more strained than it ever had before, "you must tell them both how much I love them."

Inuyasha's face crumpled in despair and his voice was surly when he replied, "Tell them yourself!"

Emily laughed lightly and squeezed his hand, "Even you cannot stop what will happen, and the rudeness you take such care to disguise around all but me will have no say in this," her eyes twinkled merrily for a moment. "I have been dreaming, Ian, so many strange and wonderful things I have seen. There was a young woman with a large weapon of sorts, curved and bound with leather I think, and there was child who looked so much like Sean, but he I swear he had a fox tail!"

"What else have did you see?" the shocked half-demon whispered.

The young woman before him smiled gently, "A sad young woman…she had a bow and kind face, but she made me feel angry for some reason. It was as though she and I should not occupy the same world, and there was a strange young man who claimed to be a monk, but he didn't behave as any monk I've met," Emily laughed at herself before continuing, "it was a silly dream."

Inuyasha stared, too stunned to speak as Emily began shaking in pain again. She pushed herself up from the bed and looked Inuyasha directly in the eye, pulling her hand from his to caress his face. When she kissed him, Inuyasha had no time to react, but he hungrily memorized the softness of her lips and feel of her too thin frame in his arms. She pulled away and looked at him with a piercing stare, a look he recognized so well from long ago, and the young woman whispered in Japanese, "I'll see you soon, Inuyasha, I love you always."

"Kagome!" he cried out as the fragile young woman's eyes closed for the last time, and her pale face contorted in pain as Inuyasha stared, shaken to the core. Emily Pennywhistle had died. From the woods east of the house, Inuyasha could hear a mournful howl.

**Author's Note: **A big thank you to all those who have reviewed, and I am discovering, thanks to those reviewers, several stories to add to my list of things to read. For those who've not yet read _Finding Kagome_ by MetsukuKaraTen, you're missing out on an excellent storyteller with a real flair for written conversation and description. I will also say that Murasahki-chan's Kenshin fic makes me wish I knew what the hell was going in that series; I have not read the manga (or seen the anime), but I now know what I'll be doing this winter. I don't get a chance to read a lot of fic or write fic often; real life means deadlines and obligations, which I can honestly say I'd rather not worry with at all. I'll be moving in about three weeks, so my time is going to be very limited in the next couple of months. I am going to try and update this story by the weekend, but no promises.

To answer some questions I've gotten via IM and email, yes, there will be more than one reincarnation in this story. Yes, the story is Inuyasha/Kagome despite what I've hinted Sesshomaru feels for her. To me, Sesshomaru is a character that is all about honor, and I really can't see him stooping to come between Inuyasha and Kagome in my universe – especially since I've given our favorite dog demons the chance to reconcile. Someone asked if Kouga would be in the story, yes. You'll find out more about the wolf-demon and his antics soon.


	5. Chapter4

1909, November

San Francisco, California

Inuyasha had been in California almost two years, though he'd been fortunate enough to come after the restoration of the city had begun. The earthquake and subsequent fires must've been terrifying for the human inhabitants, and it was Inuyasha's understanding that many had died. Yet, the aftermath of an earthquake he'd managed to avoid was hardly his real concern these days.

When Sesshomaru appeared to him and said, "Can you feel it, little brother? We are getting closer," he wasn't all that surprised to see him.

"Whatever, bastard," groused the half-demon.

"It is good to see you too," Sesshomaru smirked.

Since Emily's death and the sale of the Higurashi estate in England, Inuyasha had distanced himself a great deal from his brother and Shippou, who worried incessantly. It wasn't that he didn't care for his family, but he needed time alone to regroup and do some thinking; he frequently wondered if his obsession with following Kagome through time was a healthy one, but he couldn't go of it. He couldn't let go of _her_. He hadn't yet found her, but something had led him to San Francisco, a new city bustling with people, energy and money.

While there, Inuyasha had fallen in love with the bay as soon as he'd seen it; the choppy gray water swirled and hypnotized him with its' deadly beauty. Since the cold didn't bother him, he often found himself diving into the icy waters at night, almost daring the riptides to pull him into the swelling blackness. He'd seen a few water demons underneath the rolling waves watching him curiously, but they were no threat. In fact, Inuyasha found himself befriending several of the water demons that chose to leave their quiet depths and partake of the human world now and then. One in particular, a tall and slender female with pale blue hair and opaque gray eyes, Lady Yalitza, left the waters nightly to speak with Inuyasha. Their relationship was quiet and filled with in depth discussions about life, humanity and the relationships demons would one day have with humans, and Inuyasha could tell she wanted more than he would be able to give her.

"Kouga is here," Sesshomaru said impassively.

"What does that stinkin' wolf want?" Inuyasha demanded.

Sesshomaru turned to face Inuyasha and said, "Ayame has been murdered, and your activities have come to the wolf's attention. He says he will follow you to the depths of hell if it means finding and claiming 'his' woman." Sesshomaru sneered in obvious disgust.

This was unexpected, and Inuyasha could feel the anger boiling in his blood over the thought of the wolf. "When did Ayame die?" he asked rather than rage pointlessly.

"Three weeks past, little brother, it's taken him longer than he expected to find you," said the Lord of the West, "Jaken has delayed him to an extent – a small matter with human authorities and customs agents." Sesshomaru smiled, and no matter how often it happened, his smile never failed to send chills down Inuyasha's spine. It just seemed so unnatural.

"He can't even mourn his mate properly? What a piece of shit," snarled Inuyasha, "Who killed her?"

"Unknown, but I am working on it. It must have been someone close to the wolf tribe given that her throat was slit while she slept in the den," Inuyasha's elder brother said.

Inuyasha stared wide-eyed at Sesshomaru and asked, "You thinkin' one of them mangy wolves killed one of their own?"

"Inuyasha, I am working on the situation. Do not ask me to repeat myself again," the Lord of the West chided gently.

"I should just kill him – treaty or not," growled the half-demon bitterly.

Sesshomaru's lip quirked a bit before he shook his head in disagreement, "No, you will not start a war – there will be plenty of war in the coming years. You must lead him astray, Inuyasha, perhaps if he believed your interests lie elsewhere…" Sesshomaru's voice had the same cold and calculating edge to it that it had the night he'd helped kill Naraku.

"You mean Yalitza? She's too good for him, Sesshomaru, and you damn well know it," said the half-demon angrily.

"The demoness is of little consequence to me, idiot, and not a matter worth discussion at this time! Do you ever listen to the words this Sesshomaru says?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes upon hearing his brother revert to referring to himself in the third person, but he did stop walking away and said, "Go on."

"If Kagome is to be born again soon and near this place, then use subterfuge. Allow the wolf to believe she is to be born elsewhere," the dog demon said seriously.

"And how the hell do I do that?" asked Inuyasha.

It was Sesshomaru's turn to be disgusted and roll his eyes, but he replied, "Think, young one, I have already let him discover you are leaving today—"

Inuyasha interrupted, "I ain't goin' nowhere!"

"You are infuriating sometimes! If you will allow me to finish," Sesshomaru said, frustration evident in his voice, "The wolf is already in San Francisco and staying at the same hotel you chose, and I have allowed him to believe you are parting this evening; you will, of course, do no such thing. Paris is lovely this time of year."

Inuyasha as understanding dawned and said to Sesshomaru, "I'm assuming you've already made my 'travel' arrangements. Is Shippou going to impersonate me?"

"Yes, I will see you when it is done, and remember the wolf can conceal his scent these days, be warned," said Sesshomaru.

"What? When did that happen?"

"I suspect he has been given a spell or potion," Sesshomaru did not add that those he spoke to swore the wolf's scent seemed washed away by salt water.

Inuyasha thanked his brother and leapt into action, gracefully springing from one rock to the next as he hurried toward the Palace Hotel. The hotel itself was a marvel to behold. It was seven stories and boasted 755 rooms, but the real attraction, at least for Inuyasha, had been the Garden Court inside. Lavish didn't seem quite strong enough to describe the gorgeous Persian wool rugs, heavy chairs covered in velvet and intricately inlaid marble tables placed strategically about the room for the use of guests. He loved the brass lamps for their heft and shimmering candescence. The Garden Court, formerly the carriage entrance, had been recently refurbished. It was filled with stunning palms and modern luxuries everywhere the eye could see, but the most glorious feature had been the skylight. Inuyasha felt as though he was outside while inside when sitting in the room, and he'd spent much time basking in the overall comfort while he caught up on reading or chatted business with other men visiting the area. One day, he would share his stories with Kagome, and he smiled when he thought of her laughing over how spoiled he'd become. On the rare evenings he came in early from his beach time wanderings, he would head to the Colonial styled billiards room and enjoy a game of billiards before retiring, oh yes, he knew Kagome would laugh her ass off to hear all about this. It didn't matter though because the sound of her laughter would be better than the finest music the world had to offer, and he would know since he'd once hidden in the shadows in Venice to hear a child prodigy named Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart play an intoxicating piece on his tiny violin. Sesshomaru had been furious with him for sneaking away, but he used the excuse of protecting the current reincarnation of Kagome. She'd been an unhappy countess who was married to a brutal man in an arranged ceremony and brimming with spiritual power she was never able to use. Of course, her husband had encountered a strange devil one night who promised nothing but abject pain and suffering if the beatings and depraved games with his wife did not stop; Inuyasha still felt threatening the little bastard had been one of his finer moments in life. Sadly, the countess had died after giving birth to her third child, and Inuyasha had never really had the chance to know her.

Inuyasha stopped in front of his suite to collect his thoughts and noticed a slight rustle in the curtains. He grinned and pretended to be oblivious, but was he didn't doubt it was Kouga hiding in the drapes covering the window at the end of the hall. Getting away from Kouga might prove a challenge for Shippou, but he expected the fox demon would have a good time playing this little game. One of the more interesting aspects of staying in the Palace was that rooms were setup to be connected in an unlimited fashion. Inuyasha had rented the suite in which he stayed plus the adjoining suites on either side of him, which would making speaking with Shippou privately much easier. They could move from room to room if necessary, always one step ahead of Kouga. He opened his door and saw the tall, slender, vibrant young demon gazing out the picture window across the room; Inuyasha smiled, feeling the first spark of joy he'd felt since Emily had died when Shippou turned to him and grinned like a maniac.

"Wolf's been wandering outside your doors since I got here. He can mask his scent for the most part, but not so well I didn't notice him in close quarters. It's almost like his stench has been diluted by water," the fox demon spoke in such low tones even Inuyasha had to strain to hear, "I told the desk clerk you might be leaving this evening but wanted to keep the rooms for a time. He said your accounts are in excellent order, and he'd be happy to see to your needs as long as you like."

Inuyasha, "Figures, the man likes his money, but at least he's honest and keeps a good hotel. As for the real problem, fuck Kouga. How are you?"

"Ready for an adventure," Shippou winked, "and Paris is a damned good place to find one." One of the hazards of having been raised by Miroku was that Shippou had grown up to become a huge letch; unlike his father, he truly was quite the ladies' man. Inuyasha never could understand the purpose of sex simply for self-gratification. Perhaps because he'd already chosen Kagome, he simply couldn't untangle the idea of having sex without being romantically attached. Shippou, on the other hand, never said no to a pretty face and figure, and Miroku's ghost was probably on hand to watch and grin maniacally. Of course, that would mean Sango was in the background smacking him over the head.

"Well, you're going to have to smell like me or the mangy wolf will never buy it, but I have more than enough clothes to give you," Inuyasha said, "just lead him on a good chase, but don't let him see you as me when you're whoring your way through Paris!"

Shippou laughed, "True, true, he'd never believe I was you then!"

"Ha, ha! You little brat," Inuyasha growled affectionately. He and Shippou had always been able to fall into their former camaraderie, and Inuyasha always looked forward to seeing his friend for that reason. It was best when they were outside and under the stars. He could almost imagine the others sitting around a campfire and telling silly stories while Kagome studied or shared treats from her own time.

Suddenly, Shippou grew serious and said, "I'm going to ditch him before I get to the ship in New York, and by the time he catches the next boat, he'll think you are settled and drinking your sorrows away in the city. Hey, do you think we'll see her soon?"

Inuyasha regarded his friend and said, "Yeah, sometimes I swear I can feel her somewhere in this city. She's close, Shippou, really close. Oh hell, there are days I think I sense her in the hall."

"She can't be very old," Shippou said.

"No, but it doesn't matter how old she is. I will always be her protector," Inuyasha had protected Kagome's soul in the past when she'd been a child, and he'd actually enjoyed watching her soul grow from a child to an adult. He never realized before how much humans went through just to become fully grown.

"Sesshomaru says we must be getting closer to your Kagome too. I guess I'm just waiting on pocky and instant ramen to know for sure," Shippou smiled fondly, "Do you remember when she said men will fly to the moon in rockets? I didn't believe her at first, but Sesshomaru sent me to Kitty Hawk in 1903 when the Wright brothers flew that flying machine of theirs. If humans can do that, Inuyasha, the moon might really be next!"

"Yeah, I remember reading about it in the paper, boy, that was amazing stuff. Who knew puny humans had it in 'em," Inuyasha laughed. Shippou was the only being he ever felt comfortable around remembering Kagome and her talk of crazy inventions that seemed like magic. His brother had taken a great deal of interest in those "crazy inventions" than he ever had, but he supposed he should be grateful for his own good memory and Sesshomaru's business sense. Hell, Sesshomaru had made him explain computers in as much detail as possible, and the demon had nodded and written the information in a little book he kept that held notes from past conversations about Kagome and her world. Inuyasha knew much more of their money was coming from investments, thanks to information from Kagome, rather than their lucrative shipping business. Sesshomaru had already 'discovered' several diamond mines in Africa, and now he was in San Francisco. Inuyasha remembered when Kagome had studied the United States and talked of gold frenzies in the wild west, but Sesshomaru was there to buy land. If Kagome's reincarnation didn't enter the world soon, Inuyasha expected to be sent to Texas on a land buying expedition as well. Inuyasha remembered everything the girl had ever told him, and one of his best memories was of her talking about Texas and saying she wanted to see it one day. She'd told Shippou he'd like the cowboys and horses. Of course, neither of the demons really understood it at the time, and Kagome had also said Dallas was a city built on oil. Listening to her explain petroleum products to Shippou and the others had been entertaining to say the least. It was one more detail filed away by Sesshomaru.

As the afternoon wore on pleasantly, Inuyasha felt nostalgia seep into his veins like honey melts over the tongue. He'd missed the fox demon and the tales of his escapades, but most of all, Inuyasha missed sitting and being able to speak freely with someone. There were so few demons, and ever since the Age of Reason, humans had come to rely on logic and science to rule their world; there was little room for creatures that were not supposed to exist. Many hid in the shadows, but most incorporated themselves into the human world, and the few humans who did recognize them were either spiritual folk or powerful leaders who'd been introduced properly. Sesshomaru discovered long ago that it was a matter of self-interest to ally with certain powerful humans if one wanted to go through the world relatively unobserved. It was Shippou's job to keep the wheels turning, and Inuyasha rarely had the chance to sit and talk with his old companion. Both demons could sense the prince of wolves attempting to listen to their conversation, so they talked of inconsequential matters, never speaking Kouga's name. Finally, Shippou asked Inuyasha when he planned on leaving the city, and Inuyasha had said probably tonight because Paris was, after all, a long journey. He claimed he would take a ship from New York while Shippou clasped his hands over his mouth to keep from laughing aloud. Inuyasha said he would be paying to keep the suite though should Shippou wish to use it.

Shippou looked at his pocket watch, winked at his friend and said sadly, "It's time, Inuyasha, I'll need the suit you're wearing," the fox demon breathed deeply and instantly looked like Inuyasha's twin. The half-demon undressed quickly and handed over his clothes. In the past, he would have worried about the ruse because Shippou wouldn't have been able to alter his voice, but time and experience had given the fox demon an edge in the magics department. He pulled a battered traveling case from Inuyasha's bed and smiled gently as he whispered, "Good luck, and I'll see you soon hopefully." Shippou turned on his heel and walked toward the door, pausing in the hall to sniff the air and mutter something about stupid women and their stupid perfume in Inuyasha's voice. He'd then pulled off a fake sneeze that would've fooled the most skeptical of demons. It was a good plan that would, most likely, fool Kouga long enough to keep the mangy wolf in the dark. When Sesshomaru arrived tonight, he could explain exactly what the hell had happened to set this little debacle in motion; with Ayame dead, Kouga would again pursue Kagome relentlessly, and Inuyasha intended for the wolf to fail. Yet, who would murder poor Ayame? She was a decent demon, and by the time Naraku died, she had become a good friend to Kagome. There was no doubt in the hanyou's mind his intended would grieve terribly over the female's death.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sesshomaru stood on the craggy rocks of the beach, icy winds blowing through his hair and stinging his eyes, facing the bay and imagining the great bridge that would eventually connect the mission city of San Rafael to San Francisco. His brother's memory of Kagome's history lessons was infallible, and the dog demon planned on using that memory to his every advantage. He and Inuyasha would always be able to protect themselves and their kin thanks to the little priestess's tales and history books, and for that he was grateful.

Of course, Inuyasha also knew much of their money went to help others, but it had been years since the half-demon had expressed surprise over Sesshomaru's insistence they provide for charities dealing with children in particular. He'd seen to it many hospitals, schools and orphanages were well provided for, but it was never enough to help all of them. One day, Sesshomaru hoped there would come a time when children would be protected from the cruel and senseless exploitation he was accustomed to seeing. He sighed as he contemplated his life. The gray water and darkening sky seemed to mirror his unfathomable desires.

Because of Rin, he had grown to understand compassion, and because of Kagome, he had come to understand love. The miko had nearly died fighting Naraku, and Sesshomaru vividly recalled watching her dash in front of his younger brother in a vain attempt to ward off one of the evil demon's blows. Had Sesshomaru not intervened, the girl would have been killed in that moment, but she thought nothing of shielding Inuyasha with her own life, and, in doing so, she had inspired the Lord of the West. While he was certainly able to control his emotions, Sesshomaru no longer denied he had emotions, and that was a huge step for him. His father had once asked him if he had anyone to protect. He could now say he'd had two people to protect-Rin and Inuyasha. Eventually, Kagome would also reenter his life, and then he would make room for the girl and any pups she bore his brother; sometimes Sesshomaru even contemplated having his own mate and pups. He had long since come to terms with the fact that he was in love with his brother's chosen, but he would never allow his emotions to take precedence over what was meant to be. It was beneath him to even attempt to damage his brother's future. Intellectually, he easily let go of Kagome, and though his heart was not so willing, Sesshomaru knew there was much more at stake than what he wanted. Sometimes he believed what he wanted was more the dream of what could be than the reality; he vowed instead to protect the reincarnations, Kagome and her kin. For now it was enough, and despite Inuyasha's feelings about celibacy, Sesshomaru had no such inhibitions. If one had needs to be met, so be it. Of course, he did not believe that one should play the part of a letch either. Sesshomaru sighed softly and looked once more to moon, blurry and indistinct behind the fog that slowly crept closer to shore.

"Lord Sesshomaru," called a soft and seductive voice, "I see you made it safely."

Sesshomaru turned to observe the female water demon rise from the water of the crashing waves and begin striding toward him. Her pale blue hair was wet and looked much darker than it usually did, but her eyes were the same mysterious and opaque gray that reflected no image or light. It was as though the fog had colored her eyes at birth and continued to swirl within them, making her seem disconnected and impassive even when she smiled. Her lips were the deepest shade of blue he'd ever seen, and the flesh covering her high cheekbones held the faintest touch of blue. He nodded to the demon but didn't reply.

"Inuyasha will not be joining us this evening?" she asked politely.

"Lady Yalitza, do not ask what you already know," the demon lord said, "tell me of your clan."

"Father sends you his greetings and thanks you for removing your ships from our waters, but he suspects the humans will honor no such treaties with us. We must go deeper," Yalitza sighed wistfully as she spoke.

"I see. What of those who are accustomed to land dwellings?"

"They will stay hidden and rejuvenate in the oceans' depths as needed, but why do you ask this, Lord?" Yalitza questioned.

Sesshomaru knew Inuyasha suspected Yalitza might be forming an attachment to him, and the Lord of the West had come to make certain no such possibility existed. Lady Yalitza was gracious and would make any mate proud if she was as honest as she seemed; she was also needed by her people, and as her father had told Sesshomaru in private, her mate must be able to rule the waters with her.

"I owe you thanks, my lady, your friendship has helped my brother enormously, and I am indebted to you. There have been times I suspected he would do great harm to himself," Sesshomaru said, evading her question entirely while stressing that she and Inuyasha had only friendship between them.

She seemed to understand what he wanted to know and said, "It has been hard, my lord, Inuyasha is still so young and rash; he has matured much these past two years, but he still dwells on the death of his love's last reincarnation. My mate-to-be says I spend more time coddling your brother than I do thinking of my kingdom, but such a sad and bereft creature should not be left to suffer alone. So, the Lord Nen understands my friendship with your brother and accepts that he and I will soon be together."

"Congratulations are in order," said Sesshomaru, suspicious with the sudden turn of events. Yalitza's father had made his fears well known to Sesshomaru during their last meeting to finalize the shipping treaty, and the old demon was quite certain Yalitza had no real interest in Lord Nen, a decent and honorable demon according to the Lord of the Waters.

"I thank you, old friend, you should hear the formal announcement from my father soon," Lady Yalitza said, "but there are times when I wish things were different…"

While her eyes betrayed no emotion, her voice was filled with a heavy bitterness that told Sesshomaru the demoness indeed hoped for more with his brother, and he wondered to what lengths she would go to get what she wanted. Sesshomaru could stand back and hope nothing would come of Yalitza's emotional attachment, but he trusted what his intuition was telling him—she was bad news. Whatever Yalitza would choose to set into motion would, in all likelihood, not bode well for any involved.

She smiled suddenly and said, "Inuyasha tells me this Kagome of his had many admirers. She must be a great beauty," jealousy practically oozed from the woman. Her ability to conceal her true emotions slipped briefly, and Sesshomaru knew for certain this creature would betray his brother to have him.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Light tendrils of fog crept steadily into the city bringing a bone-chilling cold and mist that left a wet trail on all it touched. The smell of salt hung in the air as well the pungent odor of dead fish, but Inuyasha found the natural cover comforting as he followed a young woman he'd seen at the hotel after Shippou had left. She was a Chinese immigrant, newly hired according the head housekeeper, and a very hard worker. The young woman claimed she was a widow whose husband had died in a roofing accident, and Inuyasha knew it was sheer desperation that drove the young woman to take a job as a maid; she was also pregnant, and underneath her own heavy scent of cleansers, sweat and the faint perfume of lilies, there was a smell the half-demon recognized instantly. No matter what body Kagome's soul entered, and no matter what course her life took, her scent always held the faintest note of rain on cherry blossoms. Though barely perceptible, the young woman walking alone in the fog carried Kagome's scent in her, and Inuyasha knew the baby she would give birth to would be his to cherish and protect throughout her life.

The woman, heavy with child, probably spent far too much time working at that damned hotel. Inuyasha was well aware of how humans treated laborers, and it was no better than the servants had been treated during his time. Since this young woman was Chinese, she hadn't even been allowed a room with the other staff members. As Sesshomaru reminded him, it wasn't that long ago slavery had ended in many a country, and it would take many years before people began to see that humanity was humanity no matter the heritage of the individual. This poor girl looked exhausted. She carried deep purple bruises beneath her eyes. The first thing Inuyasha would have to do is persuade the young woman he wouldn't harm her, and then it would be time to find her a decent place to live along with good quality food. She didn't notice him following her as they entered the crowded streets of Chinatown, and Inuyasha winced as he realized this poor woman, like so many, lived so close to so much squalor.

He knew she spoke English, perhaps not well, but he still wondered how she'd learned given that most immigrants living in Chinatown kept to themselves and lived within their own separate world. Still, there was no way the Palace would have taken her unless she'd been able to communicate with other staff members and guests. Should a 'lowly' maid be required to speak with a guest, a rare event, she'd damned well better speak English. Through the ages one thing never changed: There was always poverty and suffering. Sesshomaru would tell Inuyasha that protecting the sanctity of life would honor their father, and if protecting people meant giving them the tools to live better, their father would be most proud. Inuyasha couldn't wait to tell Kagome his brother's change of opinion regarding humanity. He could picture her eyes wide, mouth open and not able to make a sound. Who knew? Maybe the young woman he was following had learned English in one of the many schools their company funded.

The housekeeper had said the girl's name was Melanie, and Inuyasha assumed it was a name used only for the benefit of English speaking guests at the hotel. "Melanie" walked slowly, obviously tired and aching. Inuyasha would see to it she was able to quit that damned job and raise her child properly. Much of Chinatown had been destroyed in the 1906 fires, but everywhere the eye could see, life continued and bustled in the many new structures that had replaced the old. By the time construction was finished, Inuyasha knew all traces of the earthquake and subsequent fire would be gone. He continued following the girl and dreaming of seeing her newborn, Kagome but not Kagome, from the very first breath she took. It was going to the first time he'd been around for her birth; the coming event filled him with expectation and fear. Oh, he remembered holding a very young babe who babbled and sparkled at everyone, but that little one, Keoko, had already been able to walk by the time he found her. This child would be newly born soon, and he didn't want to screw up the reincarnation's life by being in it. Realization dawned as the young woman stepped through the doors of a mission church, and Inuyasha knew exactly who had taught her English and christened the woman ahead of him Melanie. He wondered if she'd been born around priests and nuns or simply gone to them after her husband died. Knowing where she lived was half the solution, but getting her away from there might be difficult. Thankfully, money spoke volumes in certain cases, and Sesshomaru would likely pay off the head priest for his silence while reminding the man that giving a young woman with a baby a new start in life was as close to God to as one could get these days. In short, the demons would play the _love of one's brother _and _charity for the sake of compassion_ cards with the Catholics.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sesshomaru waited patiently in his brother's rooms and assumed Inuyasha had finally located his beloved. He always disappeared with no word when it happened, and the first few times, Sesshomaru had felt a nagging sense of concern for the wayward hanyou. By the fifth reincarnation, the elder demon was used to Inuyasha's behavior and accepted it. He gazed impassively at the comfortable surroundings and thought of all the times both he and Inuyasha had slept under the stars. Inuyasha, of course, had been with his own pack, a motley group banded together for a noble purpose. Sesshomaru's pack was even stranger. While Jaken could wield the old staff and A-un made an excellent mount, Rin had been the strange link that tied all of them together in the end. The little girl had been full of life and greeted each day with an exuberance Sesshomaru had found both intriguing and enchanting, not that he would have admitted it. Yet, he still missed the offerings of flowers and fierce, brief hugs only a child can seem to manage, but he had to admit he had been happy for her when she passed from this world to the next. Her life had been good to her, and she had been good for him.

A part of him saw Rin whenever Inuyasha was seeing Kagome; in the deepest recesses of his heart, Sesshomaru feared that overprotective nature he felt for all the reincarnations. It was unhealthy to feel such great attachment to another's pledged mate, but it seemed his mind always went back to the girl whenever he was alone. In many ways, he feared meeting up with Kagome Higurashi far more than Inuyasha rejoiced in the thought. His father was probably laughing this very moment and whispering, "Emotions? Attachment? Love, Sesshomaru? Are you willing to take her from your brother after everything you've accomplished?" No, he wasn't. Emotional detachment had always seemed the sane choice compared to the profound, albeit soul-sucking, experience love amounted to in his estimation. He would not betray his brother; he knew that to do so would be to tear apart the fabric of all they had achieved. His resolve returning, the demon lord decided he would not think on the subject of Kagome Higurashi anymore this evening.

A light knock on Inuyasha's door announced the expected arrival of Jaken and Sesshomaru said, "Enter."

Jaken's charm of disguise had posed a problem from the start. The toad demon had never been able to look human in the least, and he had protested greatly over the thought of trying. In the end, the necklace he wore gave him the appearance of a six-year-old human child, a homely one at that. No matter how Sesshomaru tried to alter the charm, Jaken's eyes bulged unnaturally, and he had a pinched and severe little face that most others found highly disagreeable. Plus, he was bald, and unfortunately most humans reacted badly to anyone who didn't quite fit the idea of what was and wasn't normal.

"Greetings, Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken said in his simpering voice, "I have come with news for you and the Lord Inuyasha." Being forced to refer to Inuyasha by title hadn't set well with the little demon at first, but Sesshomaru had watched with surprise as Inuyasha had earned Jaken's trust and loyalty over the years. It was funny to watch the creature grovel and prostrate before the half-demon almost as much as he did Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru could tell it was going to be one of those days when Jaken wouldn't give answers unless prompted and said, "Speak."

"Where is Lord Inuyasha?" asked Jaken. "It is most important he knows what is happening!"

"I will tell him," Sesshomaru promised, growing irritated with the kappa and recalling exactly why he'd allowed the creature to wander on his own for seventy-five years, even going so far as to encourage him to mate and start a family.

At that moment, Inuyasha's scent became stronger, good, the sooner he arrived, the sooner Jaken would return to his post.

Inuyasha entered the room in a flurry of noise and activity saying, "I found her! She's not born, Sesshomaru, her mother will give birth any moment!" Inuyasha stopped, turned and actually smiled to see Jaken bowing low before him. "Hey! What are you doing here? I thought Sesshomaru had you and your mate keeping an eye on the waters."

"I have just returned with news, my lord, which you both must hear," said Jaken earnestly. Over the years, having a mate had taught the little toad that, if nothing else, most creatures appreciate respectful actions and mannerisms without quite so much groveling. Inuyasha had told Sesshomaru he thought the water sprite had done an immense service to demon kind by teaching Jaken to behave less like an addled courtier and more like a chosen ambassador for their family.

"Let's hear it, toad-boy," Inuyasha said, his tone obviously affectionate, and Sesshomaru had to strain not to roll his eyes.

If Jaken minded the nickname, he never said anything. It was strange how Inuyasha could inspire such friendship and decency in even the oddest and sometimes crankiest of beings.

Jaken bowed again before beginning, "As you know, Lord Sesshomaru asked that Mayu and I watch the demonic population in the waters. Mayu has been blessed with family and friends amongst other water sprites and is never without contacts. It has come to my attention that the Lady of the these waters seeks to play you false, Lord Inuyasha."

"Go on," encouraged Sesshomaru, waving a hand to silence Inuyasha who had jumped forward to defend Lady Yalitza.

"I am sorry, my lords, but it is true. Lady Yalitza has no intention of mating with the Lord Nen as her father wishes; she has been in contact with the wolves for many months. She was recently seen forming an alliance with Kouga. She has told him she will warn him when Kagome Higurashi is to be born. According to our sources, Kouga plans on forcing Kagome to mate him when the well seals, and Lady Yalitza said she would be there for Inuyasha when it happens. She thinks our young lord will have no choice but to come her."

"That BITCH!" shouted the furious hanyou.

Sesshomaru was inclined to agree, but after his disturbing conversation with the female, he expected this to happen. The demoness had been moderately good at covering her deceit when he had spoken to her on the beach until the subject had come round to Kagome, and Sesshomaru had suspected her of being a duplicitous wench from the beginning thanks to her father's worries that his daughter might be falling in love with his brother. He wondered when she had decided a life ruling a kingdom in the water could only improve if she had access to half a kingdom on dry land as well. He watched Inuyasha fume and begin kicking the furniture, shattering a small table to splinters.

"Enough of this," the demon lord told his younger brother, "we have the advantage, be grateful."

Inuyasha stopped his tantrum and said, "You mean you don't want me to kill her?"

"Have you revealed to her the date of Kagome's birthday?" Sesshomaru asked.

"No, but what has that got willing killing-"

"See that you don't," Sesshomaru interrupted, "allow Yalitza to believe you are in the dark and feed her misinformation, just as we did that damnable wolf. Only you and I know the date of Kagome Higurashi's birth. When she is born, you will watch over her from the background until the well seals, and on that day, Kouga will be nowhere near you or your intended. This Sesshomaru will see to it. As for the demoness, she is young and will be able to stall her mating for at least two centuries. Her father is a wise ruler and still young enough that he can afford to have patience with his child, but if he were to find out of her deception at the right time, he would not allow her rather dangerous association to continue. Think, brother, the lord of these waters wishes to ally himself with me – when the time comes, he will not jeopardize our union. And be grateful that we know this much, little brother, considering her peoples' natural gifts, it must have been Yalitza who gave Kouga the charm to conceal his scent. Of this you can be certain." Rarely did Sesshomaru make long speeches, but when he did, everyone around him stopped to listen. It was a benefit of being stoic.

Sesshomaru dismissed Jaken and listened to Inuyasha's news of the current reincarnation. He immediately began making arrangements for the mother-to-be and her child. She would have a home, safe place to raise the baby and job when she was ready. Since she knew English, Sesshomaru would set her up as an English teacher for immigrants in one of his many charitable schools, and since he was already donating to the mission where the girl had been living, as well as helping Father Santorelli find places of work within his shipping company for many of the poor residing in the city, he knew the man would not object to Sesshomaru's offer.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

1910, March

San Francisco, Chinatown

Inuyasha had been surprised to discover that Melanie Cecilia Johnson, though of Chinese descent, had never known any name but Melanie. She'd been left on the doorstep of a Catholic church in San Francisco, raised by nuns and educated in parochial schools where she met David Johnson at a formal high school dance, a young Chinese man in the same situation. Each of them had learned to speak and read Cantonese and Mandarin since they had dreamed of spreading The Gospel in the country of their ancestors. Both were devout Catholics, but David had died two months after their wedding when he slipped from the roof of the mission while helping do repairs. After his death, Melanie had moved into a back room in the mission house in Chinatown where she stayed and walked to and from work at The Palace Hotel. Father Santorelli had apparently liked the young woman and made it his business to help her any way he could. Inuyasha admired her strength of will to live under the circumstances.

By the time he and Sesshomaru approached the good father in person, Melanie's daughter, Mary Elizabeth, had been in the world two days. It had taken some time to set up a home for the young woman without offending her sense of pride or ethics. She had assumed both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru wanted nothing more than a kept whore; both demons made it clear they had simply been moved by her plight and perseverance. Sesshomaru also made her understand he would have a job for her as soon as she believed her child was ready for school, and, of course, she would also have the advantage of being able to work where her child was educated. The poor woman had cried and thanked both of them profusely as Father Santorelli smiled at her and said, "You are blessed, Melanie, I hope you will continue to share those blessings with those less fortunate. You will make a fine teacher."

For the most part, Inuyasha stayed in the background and watched over Melanie and Mary from a distance. Thankfully, Kouga had not returned to San Francisco to trouble him, and Inuyasha felt contentment settle over him as Mary settled into life with her mother. She was a quiet baby who rarely cried, had a healthy appetite, slept a lot and lived the life of any doted upon child, often receiving gifts for which she was far too young from her mysterious benefactors. Whenever a present arrived, Inuyasha sat high in a tree watching through the windows of the little house only to hear Melanie exclaim, "Those kind gentleman are determined to spoil you, sweet baby!" A few days later, a thank you note, beautifully written, would show up in the mail with a friendly admonishment to "godfathers" who were far too quick to spoil children, but both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru knew Melanie was honestly grateful and merely wished them to know she was thankful for their kindness while telling them, in her quiet and polite way, that she hadn't expected anything from them and was astounded by their generosity.

Both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had been present for the child's christening, and while Inuyasha couldn't help but feel saddened over the fact the child would never be trained as a miko, he remembered his brother's words that all faiths are worthy of respect. He supposed Sesshomaru was right because during the ceremony, he could swear he had felt a presence hovering near the child; it had a comforting and warming quality to it that felt peaceful to the half-demon.

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1910, June

San Francisco

A tiny, white and silver coffin was lowered into the ground as Inuyasha and Sesshomaru stood on either side of Melanie; each demon offered the poor woman what little comfort he could, but finding her baby dead in her cradle was more shock than any of them could handle. While Inuyasha had always known humans were fragile creatures, he had never expected any baby to simply die without reason or cause even though he'd seen it happen to others through the centuries. Kagome's soul had graced the world such a brief few moments this time, and Inuyasha felt certain this loss would break him in half.

**A/N: Thank you to all who have reviewed; your kindness is very much appreciated! To answer a few questions, no, Olivia, from the last chapter, was not Kaede. She was simply a kind and caring individual who reminded Inuyasha of Kaede. I think the world would be a better place were there more people like Kaede in it actually. This chapter was difficult to write because I knew that Mary would not really be a part of the story. Sudden infant death syndrome is a reality, and while there is less chance of it happening these days, unfortunately, it happened a lot when Melanie and her daughter would have lived. The Palace Hotel is a real place, though I am not sure it is still in use; it's possible it's a museum these days, but it was considered quite the "in" place when it was originally built. If you have ever been to San Francisco during the winter and walked on the beaches by the bay, the first thing you notice is how odd everything sounds when it is foggy. One of my favorite memories as a child was standing on the rocks with my aunt and shouting into the fog as it rolled over us on a wet, gray afternoon, and I remember thinking clearly how slick and cold the car door handle felt against my fingers as the mist coated everything. The fog seemed to seep into my clothing until I felt as though my skin had been permeated by water, and I can honestly say that cool days with lots of fog are what I miss most about California. If you get the chance to walk through San Francisco on a foggy day, don't forget to yell into the mist for me. Who knows, maybe I'll be there and yell too. D Again, thanks to those who review, and you should all know that each of you deserves cookies!**

**August 19, is moving day; kindly refrain from threatening the author if there are no updates until after then. g **


	6. Chapter 5

December 7, 1941

Pearl Harbor

It was done. Despite secret meetings and pleas with Emperor Hirohito to see reason, Sesshomaru had been powerless to affect a change. The history Kagome Higurashi had shared with Inuyasha would happen as scheduled, and there truly was nothing Sesshomaru could do but watch and help in small ways, unfortunately, being trapped by fate and knowing it was no less a bitch than finding yourself swept along for the ride. Many centuries ago, he and Inuyasha had agreed it was best to let human history run the course it was supposed to take because, as one man once said, the devil one knows is better than the devil one doesn't know, but in hearing his half-brother speak of a time when Japan's ruler would make a mistake that would cost his own people so many lives, the great dog demon felt duty-bound to attempt rectifying the situation. Apparently, whatever gods held the keys to the world didn't agree.

When the bombs fell on Pearl Harbor, the rest of the world waited with baited breath for America's response; Sesshomaru could only weep for the outcome.

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December 8, 1941

"Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan," what would become one of the most famous speeches in the history of American presidents began. It was, in many ways, the beginning of the end. A war that would, by 1945, kill millions of people seemed strangely surreal to Sesshomaru as he hid in the background of the US Congressional Hall listening to Roosevelt's speech. He had watched America grow from almost insignificant English colonies; he had watched the pioneers spread westward; he had stood back and watched the first Great War when America entered it; he had not wanted to watch this war. This war would be a monstrous and tolling death bell for so many that it would take decades to recover and more decades to heal the deep and painful wounds on all sides. From what Inuyasha had shared, Kagome indicated that many older Japanese humans held Americans in contempt for what was done while many older Americans scorned the Japanese. In a time when the world was expanding and humans should be banding together in their fight to improve life for all peoples on a rapidly changing earth, humans were doing what they had always done – killing one another.

While Inuyasha dealt with the latest reincarnation and Kouga, who would not be deterred this time, Shippou arranged for families to escape Nazi Germany as rapidly as possible, and Sesshomaru had done everything he could, short of killing Hirohito, to stop the war. Unfortunately, there was no way to save the millions who would die, and since some demons had backed Hitler's insanity, even Sesshomaru and his people had to be cautious.

In the beginning, the three demons discussed finding and killing Hitler themselves until Inuyasha quietly said, "And if Mussolini takes over? Do we kill him too?" They could kill every last human leader on the planet to no avail; a new and just as evil menace would be waiting on the horizon to take over while the corpses were still burning. It was a "no win" situation.

Sesshomaru wondered how Inuyasha would fare making the miko's reincarnation see reason, but if this latest was like any of the others from the past, his brother's task was already hopeless.

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January 10, 1942

Fayetteville, Arkansas

St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Inuyasha stood outside the vicar's office in the rectory of St. Paul's and paced back and forth. It was a beautiful church filled with the scent of old wood polished lovingly, beeswax and incense, and the soft light from small stained glass windows punctuated the deepest shadows with glowing warmth. The hanyou was tired of arguing and even more tired of listening to Kouga's shock and horror over the situation. Since the wolf demon had not been present each time Kagome's soul entered the world, he lacked any sort of tact or ability to conceal his feelings regarding the latest reincarnation who, Inuyasha had tried to explain, did not believe in reincarnation or demons who walked the earth, making the necessity for discretion paramount. The half-demon had followed the family for years and watched Terry grow from a happy and out-going child into a serious, funny, exceptionally bright and amazingly gifted adult. Terry's abilities to see into the hearts of people came so easily from the powerful spiritual gifts bound to the soul in the human's fragile body. Unfortunately, the wolf had only arrived in Fayetteville a few months prior, and the shock was still too much for Kouga.

"Get out of my way, you damn mutt!" Kouga had hissed at him as he tried to force his way into the church. A group of humans gathered on nearby Dickson Street to watch what they believed would be a fight.

"I keep trying to tell ya'," Inuyasha snarled, "It's happened before, and it's still her soul! You fuckin', bastard, you think it's been easy for me all these years? I've watched her die so many times I can barely stand it anymore, but unlike you, I've loved her no matter where she is or who she is. Can you say the same about your dead mate?"

"It's unnatural!" Kouga fumed before hissing, " and you shut your damn mouth about Ayame!"

Both demons were doing their best not to take a swing at one another; they'd save their fighting for a more private arena.

"It ain't unnatural," Inuyasha scoffed at Kouga for being so stupid, "you think the twice-born get a choice? It's the luck of the draw. Hell, she was born blind one time, and another time, she showed up on this earth unable to do anything for herself. Maybe the kami decided she's got something more to learn, but I am done being patient with you – get the fuck outta here or I kill you today and send you screaming to your mate."

Kouga snorted, "As if you could, mangy dog! Just remember, I'll be there when it counts, and then Kagome, the real Kagome, is mine," Kouga turned and ran before Inuyasha could reply.

Now he stood outside Vicar Theodore William Stokes' office and waited for the man he'd always known as Terry to join him for lunch.

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"Ian!" Terry said, happy to see his friend after two years, "when did you get here?"

"A few hours ago. How are you?" Inuyasha asked.

"Fine, a little tired after the Christmas season, and you know church attendance has been up since the bombing," there was no need to discuss which bombing since only one bombing was on the minds of Americans these days.

"Are you really going?" Inuyasha asked quietly.

"Yes, the Army needs chaplains just as much as they do soldiers, and what about you?"

"Ryan's dealing with various American businesses right now to secure contracts for shipping supplies as well as finding homes for refugees, but a lot of the Jews Sean's been able to get out of Germany aren't exactly welcome anywhere," Terry nodded his understanding.

"At least you're doing something," the minister stated, "there are ugly rumors flying around that the Germans aren't the only ones who shall have camps soon. What will you do, my friend?"

"Ryan and I are worth too much money to be affected," Inuyasha said bitterly, "We're helping the best way we can."

Terry looked at him curiously, "How long ago was Higurashi Enterprises relocated to America?"

Inuyasha hated these conversational dances that amounted to nothing more than lying, "Our great-grandfather brought the company here long before we were born. Ryan would know the exact date, and we'll be doing much of the importing and exporting for the US military, hell, Ryan's told me that we could be enlisted to transport military units."

In order to keep their fortune and save as many people as they could, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had agreed to move their business to America long before the start of the Second World War and deal with America's leaders who, in order to keep the public ignorant and avoid panic, agreed that the privacy of all demons must be maintained. As Inuyasha recalled, it had been a diplomatic nightmare. It also meant that when World War II finally began and ended, they'd be in the rather strange position of being one of the few companies started by Japanese owners to withstand the war. They could avoid doing business with Japan's military, which would have signed the end of their empire, but be a part of Japan's restoration since they owned so much land there. When the war ended, the Japanese government would be unable to refuse their help. Of course, Inuyasha still had moments he believed that Sesshomaru was possessed since he'd taken on such a huge interest and place in the human world.

Looking at Terry, Inuyasha asked the question he'd been dreading all day, "Is there any way to talk you out of going back to the military? Elizabeth can't be happy about this."

Terry smiled, "Liz is a pastor's wife, Ian, she knows that I go where I'm needed and when I'm needed. Will you take care of her if anything happens to me?"

Inuyasha smiled faintly and said, "You'll be taking care of her yourself." Inuyasha had no intention of telling his friend that he would see to it he got home to Liz if he had to carry Terry on his back and walk across oceans to do it.

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By the time Kagome would be born, Inuyasha would've seen twelve reincarnations total. Including the latest, only one other had been male. The first boy was born blind and died before he turned six years old; Inuyasha had wept bitterly over the little boy's grave. He had been a sweet child who had instantly known the half-demon and Sesshomaru for who they were, shocking Sesshomaru and pleasing the younger demon immensely. Most of the time, the spiritual powers given to Kagome's soul meant her lifespan was unusually short for whatever reason, and it was a trend Inuyasha intended to see end with the birth of Kagome. Only three of the twelve, including Rin, had lived a truly long existence. Of the remaining reincarnations, all had passed away by the time they were in their forties or much earlier, and at least twice there had been decades between Kagome's rebirths. Kouga would never be able to comprehend that Inuyasha's and Kagome's lives were intrinsically woven together in a fabric of time that, literally, spanned centuries.

At the moment, Inuyasha was furious with Terry for returning to the Army. The man had finished his service a few years ago and rejoined civilian life as an Episcopal minister, but with the US entering the war, Terry had immediately picked up his phone and volunteered to go back to his former post as Army chaplain. The Army had welcomed him with open arms and told him he'd be heading to the Philippines in March where he'd find himself doing double duty as chaplain and soldier when necessary. The half-demon worried himself sick over this prospect. He'd hoped Terry would be sent to a stateside boot camp, and he knew Sesshomaru had even tried to pull a few strings; sometimes demons have to recognize when something has become an exercise in futility. There would be no reprieve for Terry, and that meant Inuyasha would be doing everything he could in the background to see to it the minister came home safely.

In the meantime, he would check up on the families of past reincarnations and see to it all was well on those fronts. He knew the remaining Pennywhistles had sent their women and children away from London while the men served under the British flag. Melanie, the young woman who'd lost her first husband and infant, had remarried and had four children. Inuyasha assumed both her sons were already signed up for service with the US military in one capacity or other. He'd never seen a group of people so ready to die for their country as these Americans, and while no one wanted a war, now that they had it, they'd do all they could to fight for the freedom many of them cherished more than their own lives. Freedom was something Inuyasha could understand. He'd had more freedom running through ancient Japan than most people could ever know if they lived two or three lifetimes, and he loved every moment of his ability to choose where he would go, what he would do and how he would get there. Still, as he'd told Sesshomaru, he was dreading this war and its' end more than any other period in time Kagome had read to him about in her history books. Hiroshima and Nagasaki would fall; he was powerless to stop what must come to pass. When the war ended, people all over the globe would see pictures of concentration camps, the destruction of much of Italy, the horror of the London bombings and the devastation wrought by the first atom bombs. While rejoicing the end of the Second World War, many would also be weeping over how much had been lost.

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April 30, 1942

Bataan

The Death March

Terry was delirious. He couldn't recall when he'd last eaten, but he could recall, in vivid detail, the day he'd been captured and finally forced to march towards certain death. Bataan had fallen into enemy hands, and those hands were not the hands of kindness and compassion; after a brutal beating because Terry had tried to help a fallen comrade, he was shoved forcefully back into the line of soldiers, hands tied behind his back, and pushed into marching toward the new POW camp. He was unsure how far he'd walked to get there, but the fact that he'd lived seemed a miracle in and of itself. Another soldier said to him he'd heard they'd walked about 100 miles. All Terry could say for certain was that those who lagged behind were executed; no one was given food or water, and the lack of proper sustenance on the forced march had meant that many more would die despite having made it to the camp. The smell of rotten flesh, stale blood, infected wounds, feces and urine permeated the air. There was simply no escape from the moans of pain, sickness, starvation, cries of thirst or impending sense of doom, and though the POW's outnumbered their captors heavily, the simple truth was that they were far too weak to turn the tide. It seemed everywhere he turned someone was dying of dysentery or malaria or even heat exhaustion, and the young minister would have been more than happy to die too if he hadn't felt compelled to help the others in any way he could. Sometimes people were pulled from the crowds and beaten for no reason. Those who objected were shot, beheaded or worse.

It is a horrible revelation to understand that there is far worse than death in this world, and the screams of the tortured and dying rang through the humid air like bells calling out the dead. His helmet, long ago taken from him, would have at least provided some shade from the beating heat of the sun that slowly seemed to bake his body and fry his brain. In short, this was probably as close to hell on earth as any human would ever get, and somewhere in Terry's mind he realized that meant God only knew how many Jews and fellow military allies were suffering elsewhere in the world. 'Damn all the war mongers,' he briefly thought.

Many of the men were informed they'd be transferred via ship to other POW camps, and Terry assumed it was simply because this camp couldn't support the numerous soldiers it hosted, not that host was the right word. A young Filipino man, his face swollen from lacerations and mosquito bites, lay near Terry breathing raggedly; the boy spoke and asked Terry to relay a message to his mother if Terry was able to live through this hell. He readily agreed and spent the rest of the afternoon memorizing the message and address of his new friend's mother. Over the next two days, the boys' words would become Terry's lifeline, a mantra, to keep hoping for escape from this manmade hell. "In hope there is salvation," he said when the youth passed away, and it was Terry who was forced to bury him.

…………………………………………………………………………………………...

The overwhelming stench was almost unbearable for Inuyasha as he frantically searched for Terry; Sesshomaru and Shippou had arranged to meet him in the middle of the ocean in seven days, and it meant his time to find the minister was limited. Yet, he was determined to bring the man home to his wife. By Inuyasha's estimation, there were at least 50,000 prisoners kept in this place, and he felt an enormous sense of guilt for being unable to rescue all of them. Shippou had reminded him that one does what one can in times like this. Once demons had realized humans were there to stay, many of them had sided with evil humans in hopes of gaining more power and one day overthrowing humanity, and it meant Inuyasha had to be careful.

In order to hide amidst the Japanese with ease, he'd cut his hair and stolen a uniform and gun to blend in with the other guards. Of course, he'd had to kill the former owner of said uniform and gun, but he figured he'd done the Americans a service since the fucking bastard had turned out to be a snake demon in hiding. Hell, he'd probably done the Japanese soldiers a service as well. Snake demons were well known for eating humans when food supplies were scarce, allies or no, and it was damned obvious there wasn't much food to be had anywhere. As he wandered through the camp, he couldn't help but realize just how many of the men were ill and dying, and he felt hopelessness begin to overtake him for a moment until a voice whispered, "Ian? It can't be!"

He whirled around to face the speaker. Sitting on the hard-pack dirt and surrounded by dying men was Terry looking about twenty-five pounds thinner, filthy and highly malnourished, but Inuyasha was relieved to note that the man didn't smell of death or sickness. He shook his head slightly at Terry and indicated the other man should refrain from speaking to him. Turning to face a nearby guard, Inuyasha said in Japanese, "These men are dying. Find a few able bodies to carry their carcasses to a grave," the other man turned to obey the half-demon without question. He spoke with the authority, and as Sesshomaru had told him, no one would question his orders if he appeared to know what he was doing.

Finally, Inuyasha was able to speak to his friend, "We're getting out of here, now," and with that, he scooped Terry up from the ground and began running as fast as he could for a nearby wooded area. If they made good time, he'd have Terry onboard the fishing boat Sesshomaru had procured for them to use and on his way home by nightfall. It had taken him four of the seven days he was given to find the other man, and he'd lived in fear he'd be discovered and killed by one of the humans' damn guns or, worse, imprisoned and too late to save Terry.

"Ian…," Terry coughed and groaned, "take me back."

"I don't think so," Inuyasha growled, "my brother's waiting for us, and your wife is waiting at home for you. I promised her you'd come home."

"The others-"

"Damn it, man! Don't you get this? The others will have to wait because, frankly, I can't save all of you, and my first priority is you in this mess. We're dropping you off with a Navy ship in the area. You'll tell them we're fishermen who helped you escape, and then you'll tell them we have to go back otherwise we'll be suspected and our families killed."

Terry cleared his throat and asked, "How do you run so fast?" before promptly passing out in Inuyasha's arms.

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June 20, 1942

Canacao Naval Hospital

Terry, still tired and run down after his ordeal, was resting quietly as he contemplated going home. He was to be stationed stateside at Ft. Chaffee in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, after he'd gotten some rest and an okay from his doctor, and while he knew Liz would be happy to have him so close to home, a part of him wanted to go back and be chaplain to the men in the field. His bishop had written him to tell him, "Remember, God puts us where He needs us, my friend, not always where we want to be, and I fear the people there will need you more than you realize." Sadly, Ft. Chaffee wasn't just a boot camp; it hosted prisoners of war, but Terry assumed God must have a good sense of irony.

There were moments he was still angry with Ian for taking him away from Bataan because a part of him believed that by praying with the dying, tending to the sick and burying the dead, he was doing something to bring a small comfort. Ian had said to him, "Be angry, but you most likely would have died!" Terry hadn't been able to argue with those words, but he had been more help than he realized. According to his new commanding officer, the intelligence Terry brought with him from Bataan would serve to help the US save lives. The only request Terry had made was to deliver a young boy's message to his mother in Los Angeles, California.

**AN: Sorry for the delay. We moved a couple of months ago, and I'm afraid things have been rather insane around here since. This chapter was not easy to write as it required researching some of the darkest aspects of war, but my mother's neighbor was of great help in that regard. He is one of men who survived Bataan, and I am grateful for his willingness to share his memories with me. Thank you to all who have reviewed! I really appreciate the time you take to do so. D **


	7. Chapter 6

**AN: First and foremost, thank you to all who have reviewed! **This month has been exceedingly difficult due to personal reasons, but I believe things are on the upswing. Second, I should include a brief note on the ages and time-line in this story. The first installation of Inuyasha was released in November of 1996 (according to Wiki), so for my purposes, Kagome would've been born in 1981. Obviously, I'll have to take a few liberties when it comes to names used for Kagome's family, but some tweaking of details is necessary for secondary characters only because we know so little of them in canon. Terry is not so much the focus of this chapter as he is the stepping point to get to where all of the characters have been walking with me, at least in my head. Oddly enough, I discovered if you focus on any sort of fiction long enough, characters truly begin to take a life of their own and sometimes argue with one another and the writer. This can be rather frustrating when trying to sleep and you can hear is a little fox youkai whining that another cup of hot cocoa sounds like an excellent idea. After the cocoa is gone, Inuyasha often pops into my overcrowded brain to discuss the finer points of string theory, at which time I must remind him that neither of us is an expert in quantum physics. I have to wonder if this is how Milne felt when writing about Pooh.

May 20, 1969

Tokyo, Japan

Higurashi Shrine

Inuyasha, Sesshomaru and Shippou watched as Kagome's grandfather, a vital man in his late forties, and the boy who would one day grow up to be her father clean and polish every surface one could see in the shrine. The three demons had long ago agreed to contribute to the running of the ancient dwelling, but they each suspected the eldest Higurashi would chase them down with sutras should he ever find out the source of his newfound wealth, and though Inuyasha swore the sutras never worked, neither Shippou nor Sesshomaru had any desire to cause the aging human undue stress.

All of Japan had changed since the Great War, but it seemed, to both Inuyasha and Shippou, that Sesshomaru was affected by those changes the most. He had relinquished much of the power his title as Lord of the West afforded him, and he'd persuaded the other lords that the time for living outside humanity was long gone. While some found this lifestyle change difficult, Inuyasha watched his brother grow easy-going and content with his life. In fact, Sesshomaru had become more relaxed and capable of enjoying life in a way Inuyasha never thought was possible, and the day the other lords agreed to a formal peace treaty, Sesshomaru had celebrated by telling Yalitza's father precisely what the demoness was about. Unfortunately, she still lurked in the background hoping for her chance at Inuyasha. She'd made it clear to anyone who would listen that she would have no other as her mate, but she'd also sealed her fate by publicly announcing her loyalty to Kouga. Smart demons did not stand against the inu-youkai clan, and it was common knowledge amongst demons that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru would see to it anyone who helped Kouga and Yalitza suffered their collective wrath.

Of course, there was still a business to run, but Sesshomaru had turned over most of the daily workings of Higurashi Enterprises to a capable board of humans and demons. Both Inuyasha and Shippou took their positions seriously as heads of security and relations.

Sometimes the half-demon pondered what his older brother would've done had they never come to terms with one another, and Sesshomaru smirked and simply commented, "Killed each other."

Kouga, much to the fury of the inu-clan, had long ago learned the location of the shrine, but Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had been able to conceal the date of Kagome's future birth. Shippou had been too young to pay much attention to Kagome's birthday when Kagome was with them in the feudal era, though the young woman had certainly fussed over his, a western custom that included cake and candles which Kagome's family observed that the hanyou never understood. Still, Inuyasha counted his blessings and stayed the hell away from Kouga and Yalitza, which was difficult since that infernal bitch of a youkai was so fond of reminding him she was waiting.

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July 21, 1969

Fayetteville, AR

Inuyasha stood in a bright yellow kitchen with white cabinets, counters and white trimmed window frames. The wooden floors gleamed softly golden in the afternoon light filtering through the sheer curtains, and the room seemed to welcome everyone with a warmth and serenity Inuyasha loved. Through the back door screen he could see Terry's youngest son, Brian, toss a football back and forth with his elder brother, Ian, while Liz called to the teenagers, "Don't you step on my tomato plants!" The boys laughed and ran faster across the lush new grass as their mother continued to scold, each rushing to see who could throw harder, run quicker and jump higher, and for a moment, the half-demon wondered what his own life would've been like had he and Sesshomaru been closer in age and grown up being friends instead of enemies. No matter, he would not dwell on what might have been in the face of what was, and at least both he and his elder brother could honestly say their father would be pleased to know his children were close.

He turned to face the minister and said, "Men on the moon…who'd have ever thought it would really happen."

Terry chuckled and said, "You know, Ian, when Kennedy died no one thought anything would get better again, and this damned war just keeps going and going. It's good to have a little something to celebrate, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it," Inuyasha said solemnly.

"Sometimes I wish Liz and I had started our family sooner. I'm starting to feel old-two teenagers and the love handles to show for it."

Inuyasha decided it was time to lighten the conversation up a bit and said, "Brian's got a good right arm there – he trying out for football?"

Before Terry could answer, Liz walked into the kitchen and said, "No, Brian has never had any real interest in the game like Ian, but he's giving up football. Didn't Terry tell you?"

"Hadn't gotten around to it yet, Lizzie," Terry suddenly beamed.

Liz grinned, and for a moment she looked like the girl she'd been when Inuyasha had met her, "Ian got the scholarship from Higurashi!"

"Wow! That's great, damn, you two must be really proud," Inuyasha said to the beaming couple.

"I have to admit I'm relieved too," Liz said solemnly, "at least he's not headed to Vietnam."

Inuyasha nodded his agreement with the woman and then blushed furiously. He hadn't been sure Ian would get the scholarship from the Higurashi offices in the US, and the teenager had refused inside help from his godfather, which pleased Inuyasha immensely because it meant the boy wanted to earn what he got in life. Still, neither Sesshomaru nor Inuyasha could stand the thought of Terry's son being left without a way to get to college, and they'd been worried since the boy was banking on the academic scholarship. It would mean that Ian Stokes would have to do several interviews, write a ten-thousand word essay describing what made him a suitable candidate and potential future employee of Higurashi, but above all, Ian would have to ace the scholarship test. Given the numerous students who applied, Inuyasha wasn't about to let the kid take such a huge gamble without something in the bank, "Um, well, this puts me at a bit of a loss though… I know you said don't do anything for graduation, but I…um…Ikindofsetupatrustfortheboys…"

Both Terry and Liz looked at the hanyou and said simultaneously, "What?"

Inuyasha took a deep breath, calmed his racing heart and said, "I set up a trust for the boys, Terry, should anything happen to me or you and Liz, I wanted to know your kids were better off than I was when my mother died. Each of them can access the money for school and supplies right now, and each of them gets full control upon turning twenty-five." Neither human spoke, but the hanyou knew Terry was most likely staring at him like he'd gone insane. He was barely able to look his friends in the eyes when he smelled the scent of Liz's tears, "It's nothing to cry about, woman!"

For once Liz ignored the 'woman' reference and could only say, "Oh, Ian, you didn't have to—"

"I know I didn't, but I wanted to okay, no more about it." The dog-demon shrugged his shoulders nervously and changed the topic, "How are you? Terry was just telling me you two are planning a little getaway next month. How are the ladies at that church of yours going to get along without you?" As much as Inuyasha cared for Terry, he'd also grown attached to the man's wife, even when he'd envied her. She was kind, thoughtful and compassionate, but Liz had an inner strength most humans rarely possessed. When Terry was captured, she'd smiled faintly and expressed her quiet and determined belief that Terry would come home. Inuyasha had given her the message of her husband's rescue several days before the Army notified her, and that was the first time the hanyou had heard the woman cry during her horrible ordeal of waiting with little to no hope of seeing her husband ever again. She'd been relieved and joyful as she embraced Inuyasha while thanking him and whispering she knew he'd find a way bring Terry home.

"Hmmph! They'll be just fine," replied Liz, walking toward Inuyasha and kissing him on his cheek, "Thank you for everything, and if we're going to change the subject I have to say you've gotten too thin again, so you're staying for dinner-no arguments! Oh, and Mrs. Allen said to tell you she's going to wrestle your anti-aging secret from you if it kills her."

"I've got more gray hair than she does!" Inuyasha said, pointing to his head and grinning as he thought of Mrs. Allen, a sweet and kindly elderly woman who sang in the church choir despite her inability to carry a tune, though he had to admit she made one hell of a sweet potato pie. Thinking of her made him wince; it was one more bit of deception in a sea of lies he'd told in order to keep his identity a secret. Both dog demons had recently had their protective charms altered to appear as though they were growing gray at the temples; Shippou had laughed himself sick over the new look and told them they looked ridiculous. Sadly, it wouldn't be long before Ryan would have to call the Stokes family and tell them of Ian's "accident". He would hate keeping his distance from the family, but letting them know he wasn't human wasn't exactly an option he could afford the luxury of considering. Unfortunately, the charms could only alter eye, hair color and hide demon traits, meaning the Stokes weren't the first people to notice Inuyasha's face appeared untouched by time. Sometimes he even suspected Terry knew he wasn't human. There were moments the other man stared at him that made Inuyasha believe it was Kagome Higurashi peering from those eyes. Thankfully, none of the reincarnations had ever activated the subjugation beads around his neck or there'd have been problems for certain.

Terry gave him one of his patented, 'I know what you are,' looks and said, "Gray or no, Ian, you never seem to age."

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November 18, 1975

Tokyo, Japan

Cold enveloped the city, and snow fell silently, dusting the ground lightly, blowing in odd swirls against the dark pavement. It had been unseasonably frigid, but Shippou couldn't say he minded the weather in the least; he was home with his human family. It was good to be around people who knew him and loved him for who he was; after all, pretending to be Sean for the public eye did indeed get old, though it provided much comic relief for the family. Yuki, the youngest and newest addition, stared from her mother's arms and blinked sleepily up at the fox demon who smiled lovingly at the infant. He'd brought the child several gifts including silk dresses she wouldn't be able to wear for years and dolls she'd have no interest in for at least another six months. Amidst talk of business, plans for future generations and laughing over old stories, Shippou began to feel an ache. He'd spent so much time traveling for the company, worrying about Inuyasha and stopping to ponder how much closer they were to a time he'd see Kagome again, that the youkai had never quite considered how much he wanted a relationship of his own.

Oh, he'd spent plenty of time chasing the fairer sex, but never once had he met someone he'd actually consider spending more than a week with at a given moment. He almost envied Inuyasha's devotion and sheer force of will to remain faithful to Kagome…almost. He had to wonder if Sesshomaru ever felt empty as well, not that he'd ask him. While the tai-youkai had relaxed and learned to enjoy living over the years, Shippou had made the mistake of asking him only once if he'd ever loved anyone he'd want to claim, and the look Sesshomaru had given him chilled him to his entrails. Nope, not a good subject.

"You should bring Inuyasha with you next time, Uncle," the voice of an aging woman said to him; all his human family called him 'uncle'. It was Grandmother Sango, named for the first Sango, and sometimes the old woman had an uncanny way of reading humans and demons alike. Shippou suspected she had spiritual powers, but he'd never forced anyone in the family to follow a path he or she didn't choose, so this Sango had been allowed to follow her dreams of being a painter and poet. She'd achieved minor success during the forties and was positively celebrated by fellow artists and poets alike now, but sometimes Shippou suspected he should have at least encouraged her to discover what untapped power she might have.

"Little Sango," he said, addressing her as he had since she'd been named, "do you have plans for him?"

The old woman grinned, eyes flashing brightly, "He's too old for me," she teased wickedly, "but he could help you sort out your thoughts." She smiled merrily and passed Shippou a cup of tea.

"Thoughts?" he asked.

"Some love too many, some are chased by too many loves, and some never love for fear of losing, but the rarest of all is the one who loves and loves well…Inuyasha, he has this sort of love. I've said it before, dearest, you need more than one night stands," Sango whispered just loud enough for him to hear. Of all his family, human and demon, only Little Sango had ever been one to speak her mind when it came to Shippou's numerous liaisons; it was clear she had more than a little in common with her namesake.

"I'll think about it, little one," he promised, and the old woman beamed happily.

"Good, now tell me how my youngest grandson likes working for you at Higurashi," conversation went on long through the night, and outside the snow fell, blanketing the streets of Tokyo in brilliance.

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July 17, 1978

Tokyo, Japan

Higurashi Shrine

It had been a long day, and as the first stars appeared, the old shrine was bathed in a beautiful indigo light that appeared thread shimmering silver bands across the darkening sky. Inuyasha peered up to the shrine from the cover of greenery in the goshinboku, his tree he'd believed it at one time, long ago when the area had been named Inuyasha's Forest, and the locals spoke in fear of the strange demon that appeared to sleep but never aged. Of course, that was almost five hundred years ago. Since that time, he'd helped to save the world, fall in love, earn his brother's respect and love and find a family with that brother and, of course, his long time companion Shippou. It seemed so strange to him that so much had changed when he still felt the same in many respects; he remained as deeply in love with Kagome as ever, if not more so, and his hatred of Kouga had only become more entrenched over time.

Sesshomaru's alliance, long ago formed with the wolves, had been shattered the moment the Yalitza entered the picture. The water demoness was said to be in hiding with the wolves in the mountains of Russia. She was protected and safe from the wrath of her father and the Lord Nen, the water demon to whom she'd been promised so long ago, and she apparently spent her time using her powers for the wolves to hide their scent. Nen had loved her, no doubt, and once he'd even come to Inuyasha in the dead of night to accuse the hanyou of deliberately stealing Yalitza's affections. Sesshomaru had intervened, forcing Nen to listen to reason, and the water youkai had then turned to Inuyasha and said savagely, "We love too fiercely sometimes…and not always wisely. I have never loved any as Yalitza…she was my reason for being! She should never have met you." Nen had sighed dejectedly, turned to leave and squared his slumped shoulders before turning proudly to the sea and entering the waves. His blue-green hair streamed in the wind for a moment, and then he dove into the dark depths out of sight. Both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru would swear they'd heard the ocean weep and gulls wail in that moment.

Shaking away distant memories, Inuyasha continued to hide in the branches of his goshinboku as he listened to the frivolity in the shrine. Isamu Higurashi had gotten married earlier that day, and the hanyou had been spying on the family since sunrise. The young man, full of life and excitement, had raced about the shrine to make sure everything was perfect for his young bride, Kimiko. Kagome's parents had a beautiful wedding, and while Inuyasha was excited by the knowledge that she was going to be born very soon, he was also sad knowing that his long time friend Terry would have to die to make it possible.

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April 6, 1981

Fayetteville, Arkansas

Washington Regional Hospital

Sesshomaru watched his younger brother hesitantly approach the bed in ICU where Terry Stokes had been living the past few months, if one could call being hooked up to needles and machines to ensure breathing living. The human had been told his old friend, Ian Higurashi, had died in a boating accident shortly after their last meeting in 1969. Inuyasha, distraught and angry over being kept away from his friend, spent the better part of two months raging against Sesshomaru over the unfairness of it all, but Sesshomaru stood his ground and remained impassive finally stating quietly, "We do what we must."

To the world Ian Higurashi was dead, but his "nephew", also named Ian and looking uncannily like his "uncle", had stepped forward to take his place in the company three years later. Thankfully, humans in power had no problem with keeping the youkai of the world a secret from the masses, so hiding the fact that Inuyasha played the role of two different men hadn't been a problem. Documents were easy to acquire, and eventually Sesshomaru had been forced to do the same thing, claiming Ryan Higurashi had died of a fatal heart attack, but his son, also Ryan, would be taking over as head of the company. His charm was altered just enough to make his eyes, like Ian's, a grey color that both men claimed to have gotten from a distant ancestor. Most trusted employees were also youkai and had to go through their own rebirths every few decades, of course, passing down the names Ian and Ryan had been something of a joke in the beginning that ended up serving the inu-youkai well. Their human business colleagues assumed somewhere in the family tree they had European ancestors of the same name. Shippou, preferring to use no charms, maintained his human form by his own power and stayed the same Seth Higurashi throughout the years. Since he dealt strictly with demons, human leaders, and his human family, he'd never seen any point in pretending to be his own son or nephew. Of course, he was also spared the duties of speaking at press conferences unlike Sesshomaru and Inuyasha.

When the call came into the Higurashi offices that Terry was dying, Inuyasha had pulled Sesshomaru aside and asked him to come with him to see the human one last time. The tai-youkai would have preferred to stay away, tending to business and refraining from thinking of the girl who would soon be born. Over the years, he discovered his attachment to the idea of the young woman had grown stronger, but honor dictated that he keep his feelings to himself and not cause his brother pain. He'd worked too hard with Inuyasha to heal the old wounds. When Shippou had announced his intentions to mate with a fox demoness from Canada, Sesshomaru had envied the younger demon greatly, thinking he too would like to find something more than living through his brother's hope for a future with Kagome, his own impossible love for the girl aside.

Turning to his brother, Sesshomaru, despite knowing the answer, asked, "How is he?"

"Alive, barely," Inuyasha's face contorted in grief, "he hasn't been conscious once since we got here."

"You cannot hope for her soul to recognize you every time, little brother," Sesshomaru said.

"I just kept hoping...oh hell, I don't know what I was hoping," said the hanyou bitterly.

Sesshomaru sighed and said, "It is enough that you have been here for him—for all of them."

The dying man stirred and coughed. Both demons looked to the bed as Terry opened his eyes and smiled slightly at them before whispering, "I thought I heard you calling me. I'm ready to go, Ian, I knew you weren't dead… Hell, I knew you weren't human."

Sesshomaru snapped his attention to Terry's face, and Inuyasha gasped.

"Someone else is calling me too," Terry grimaced and tried to smile again, "I have work to do still, not here though." The man stiffened, and a cold wind blew through the room, whipping both demons' hair about and nearly slicing their clothing.

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha both heard Kagome's voice as she said, "It's time, Inuyasha."

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April 7, 1981

Tokyo, Japan

Sanno Hospital

A sharp cry pierced the air as Kagome Higurashi entered the world. Her mother, exhausted from the delivery, slipped quietly into sleep while her father waited to hear the news of his new child. Outside the birthing ward, Shippou, who'd only been allowed the secret of the girl's birth that morning, stood guard and waited for Inuyasha and Sesshomaru to arrive home with news of Terry's death.


	8. Chapter 7

**AN: **Thank you to everyone who reviews-those who take the time are much appreciated, more than you possibly realize at the moment. My eight year old son got a rabbit when he was four, and she died late Friday night. People have no idea just how wonderfully sociable and sweet rabbits can be when people take the time to work with them, and Jordan is absolutely devastated right now. We all are because she truly was a part of our family. I've put aside my own work and written this chapter to take my mind off Harvey, yes, a girl named Harvey. I hope everyone enjoys the update. To answer a couple of questions I'd gotten via email, oh you clever readers who reached me through livejournal, you will indeed find out soon who killed Ayame. As for Naraku surviving up to the present, no, he really is dead and gone in this fiction. Someone wanted to know if Yalitza is modeled after a specific person, yes, and truth be told, the real life version is far more evil. The final question, which amused me the most, no, I am not too old for manga, comics or anime-how old do you think the writers who create this stuff are? My age and older. D

Higurashi Shrine

Tokyo, Japan

May 2, 1985

The darkened shrine felt cold and still in the early morning hours before dawn, but Kimiko could almost feel normal without the daylight's starkness to remind of her of all she'd lost. Two weeks ago, she'd been with Kagome in the park watching her daughter sing and dance as the little girl picked newly opened blossoms and laughed merrily; Souta, Kimiko's eight month old son, slept blissfully unaware of the world around him. His mother had to admit to feeling a certain amount of envy for the baby's inability to understand what was happening. Of course, she hadn't known how that horrible day would end, but in the darkness before sunrise, Kimiko pretended to herself that none of it was real. There was no drunk driver. There was no car accident. There was absolutely no death or funeral. At least that's what the exhausted young woman told herself when no one else was around-especially Kagome. The poor child had been at the hospital with her mother when Isamu died, and Kimiko had been forced to explain that Isamu was never coming home. Kagome, oddly mature for a child of four, and cried and held her mother tightly as she promised, "I'll take care of you, Momma."

Thankfully, Kimiko's father-in-law arranged for her to move into the shrine with the children as quickly as possible, and while being with family did help, she felt as though nothing would ever be right again.

Determined to stay focused, the young woman concentrated on her surroundings instead of dwelling on those awful moments after Isamu's death. Moonlit flowers swayed in a gentle breeze, enchanting Kimiko with their simple dance until sudden movement caught her attention; she could swear someone had been following her lately, and she was half tempted to call into the eerie darkness of the woods. "It must be an animal," she said softly, knowing her vague impression of whatever she'd seen moving had been too large to be any animal that might be living around the shrine. Without realizing what she was doing, Kimiko Higurashi walked toward the source of motion and stopped less than two feet from the shadowed trees that might be hiding anything or anyone. She shuddered involuntarily but stepped closer to peer further into the inky black depths.

"Hello?" her voice trembled a bit, and she could feel sweat beading across her shoulders and beginning to crawl down her back despite the chill. It was the fear she couldn't understand. Kimiko wasn't the sort of person to screech and jump over the slightest noise, so she was having a hard time understanding her own reaction to something she couldn't even see. There was nothing there, she told herself firmly. Finally, she decided it was time to shake away the unease and return to the shrine before her father-in-law awoke and realized she'd taken off on another stroll alone through the dark. With a final look at the woods behind the shrine, the young woman headed back to the house and prepared herself to greet another day without her husband.

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Kouga smelled the woman before he saw her. In many ways, she reminded him of Kagome with her light scent of spring rain on new roses, but Kimiko's scent held the acidic tang of bitterness, presumably newly acquired since the death of her husband. Inuyasha, as far as Kouga was concerned, was an idiot to leave the woman unattended, but he was grateful the damn hanyou hadn't shown up in the past couple of days since it gave him the opportunity to observe the Higurashis and their routines. Apparently the mutt would normally send his brother to watch the shrine when he couldn't, but the fucking demon lord wasn't to be found either, so much the better.

Kagome, four years old and high-spirited, seemed happy despite the grief surrounding her, and the little girl spent most of her time rocking her little brother or playing in the gardens surrounding her home. She also did a lot of talking about something she called _red in winter_, though Kouga had been unable to determine exactly what the child meant. There'd been a few moments he'd wanted to snatch Kagome away and carry her as far from the shrine as he could possibly get, but Yalitza had told him more than once that he'd possibly change his own past in the process, as in, taking Kagome too soon might mean never having met Kagome so long ago. The youkai shook his head over his confused thoughts and continued to ponder his beloved's mother. It really was too bad he couldn't just kill the woman and take her daughter. He'd raise her to belong to him, as she should anyway, and then when the girl was old enough to bear offspring, Kagome would find herself mated, happily or not, it really no longer mattered; obviously that was what the humans might call a pipe dream. He had to wait. Besides, being patient would reward him with seeing Inuyasha finally stuck with that bitch Yalitza or dead, and then Kagome would have to face the facts. He would be her only hope.

Ah well, he wished he could stick around longer to see Inuyasha's face when the damn dog realized Kouga had purposely left his scent throughout Kagome's home-even in the little girl's room tonight. Unfortunately, she'd woken up briefly while he rifled through her clothes and studied her belongings, but the child only yawned and said, "Go away, bad dream," before falling almost instantly asleep again.

The youkai turned away from the shrine and ran deeper into the woods until he'd passed through them, beyond and was moving furiously toward home.

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Kimiko awoke to the sounds of Kagome singing softly to Souta, and the faint clinking and banging of her father-in-law preparing a meal in the kitchen downstairs. How she'd managed to get back to sleep was a mystery to her. The sun was already high, and light permeated the room through the blinds and created what her mother would have called fairy columns. She wished that her mother and father were still alive, but her father had died of a massive heart attack while Kimiko attended university. Her mother, despite looking the picture of health, developed a brain tumor two years ago and died when radiation and chemotherapy failed to stop the rapidly growing inoperable mass. Kimiko missed her mother's uncanny ability to reason through any problem and see right to the quick of issues, keeping a level temper and head about her at all times. She would have been the ideal support after Isamu died, but in many ways, Kimiko believed staying here with her husband's father would still have been the best course of action. He'd been devastated when Isamu was killed, and it seemed the man aged twenty years almost overnight. There was an odd shuffle to his walk that he'd never possessed before his son died; Kimiko hoped she could be as much a help to him as he'd already been to her.

Slowly and with great determination, the young woman got out of bed, made it and dressed for the day. She'd showered much earlier but decided a good face scrubbing wouldn't do her any harm, and once she felt presentable, Kimiko walked down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Up already?" Ryoichi asked as she stepped onto the cool tile floor.

Kimiko looked at the mess the old man was making and said, "It's past eleven, Dad, let me help you."

"No, no, no, I'm cooking for you and the children today. I heard you wandering about this place last night-it's not good for you, Kimiko, you must get some rest! Isamu wouldn't like it one bit," he scolded gently.

Quirking an eyebrow Kimiko answered, "I suppose you determined it was me while sound asleep? It sounds like someone else wasn't getting any rest either."

Ryoichi looked up from chopping onions and the two shared a smile. Suddenly, it seemed to Kimiko there was hope in the world for all of them, and she broke out laughing just as her father-in-law did too. Later perhaps she'd feel a bit of guilt for having felt anything other than deep grief, but now, Kimiko Higurashi needed to enjoy living.

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"Souta," Kagome whispered softly into her brother's ear, "Daddy is leaving. He says he'll always love us, but Momma's heart is ready to say good-bye. He can tell she'll sleep tonight." The little girl's eyes focused on a figure no one but she was able to see, and she giggled and waved as an ethereal light surrounded her father's spirit. She'd hated to see her father so sad and unable to speak to anyone but her, but he had also told her she mustn't tell a soul she could see him or any of the other spirits she sometimes saw wander about the shrine. Some of the souls were lost while others were just angry over being dead, and now that her father was dead too, he at least had the chance to realize Kagome wasn't lying to him about her ability to see the dead. He'd spoken to her more since he died than he did while alive, and much of what he said seemed frantic to the little girl and made her confused and a little sad for her daddy. Her father worried over his fears for his children and wife, fears a child really couldn't understand. All Kagome believed she could do was tell him he mustn't worry because her friend, Red in Winter, would watch over them all. Her father had vainly insisted, just as he had while alive, that imaginary friends are a lovely dream, but one cannot find peace only in dreams. Isamu was wrong, and she had faith in Red Winter. He'd held her close the her father died, and while rocking her to sleep and singing a comforting song that made her feel as though life would get better for her whole family, Red in Winter vowed he would always protect her even if she could not see him.

Red in Winter wouldn't tell her his name, so she him named for the beautiful red silk shirt he'd worn the first day she met him and his lovely white as snow hair. It seemed he was always around when she felt her worst. He had been a part of her life since she was three. She said to him, "I remember when you came because I'm big now!" When her daddy died, Red in Winter promised that this was not the end of her family. He'd also sworn to her he'd find a way to make the creatures she saw and ghosts leave her alone only when her father passed into the next world, but he also refused to come when she and her father spoke together, which was frustrating for the child. He finally told her he must leave for a little while, but she was certain her friend would return soon, and Kagome couldn't wait to tell him her daddy was finally at peace.

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Andes Mountain Range

South America

The trip through snowy mountains hadn't been bad, all things considered, but Sesshomaru would have traveled much more swiftly had he not been forced to rely on humans to find the healer for whom he searched. He'd been told she had no other name than the Lady of Ages, and no one knew anything about her other than she had a talent for spiritual matters. In fact, according to local legend, the Lady had never once shown another living human her face; the tai-youkai assumed she was a demoness who refused to disguise herself. Whatever her form, Sesshomaru knew he needed to find help for Kagome and soon. The little girl would go mad if she continued to see the dead and many demons who were able to hide from most humans; the world had changed much in five hundred years, and those with spiritual gifts were often diagnosed as mentally ill and left in the hands of psychiatrists. A fate that he would see Kagome avoid or die trying.

Inuyasha had sworn Kagome's powers never manifested until the moment she fell through the well, but the hanyou had not been able to explain why her gifts had lain dormant. It wasn't until accidentally being discovered by the little girl when she turned three years old that he'd realized the enormity of fate. Inuyasha, looking as though as the world was crashing around him, asked Sesshomaru to watch over the Higurashi family while the hanyou followed up on a new rumor in hopes of finding and stopping Yalitza. During Sesshomaru's time as guardian, he discovered Kagome Higurashi did possess her powers when the little girl woke up and discovered him in her room, but the child had no real understanding of those powers because her mother and father were not gifted. The girl's grandfather, also utterly bereft of spiritual power, had filled Kagome's head with fantastic tales, obviously embellished, that had little to do with actual youkai. What little the old man comprehended of the shikon no tama was convoluted. Hearing the girl speak of the many others she'd seen like Sesshomaru, he knew then that he was supposed to find a way to protect her until it was time for her to help safeguard the world. Time...it had always been about time, and if time were made up of threads, surely Kagome and Inuyasha had ribbons stretching between them that only served to entangle everyone they met.

As Sesshomaru stepped lightly on the snow, he felt an odd warm breeze caress his face, and his human guide turned to him and said, "This is as far as we go, sir, the Lady does not take well to a great many intrusions. It is my belief she will help you though-she always helps children." Sesshomaru nodded and turned, walking steadily and quickly toward the scent of flowers and, presumably, the end of his search.

In the valley below the icy path, Sesshomaru first noticed the hot spring, bubbling stream, green trees and blooming flowers that splashed the area in a riot of color. In the middle of all the greenery, stood a small wooden house, neatly built with the same care a fine craftsman will take when blowing glass or working pottery at a wheel, that gave the appearance of being nestled and nurtured by the landscape in which it was raised many years ago. The windows gleamed in the bright morning light, and though a chilly breeze swept down from the surrounding mountains for a moment, the valley was obviously heated nicely by the source of the hot springs. A woman's voice, lyrical in quality and low in tone, carried from an open window to Sesshomaru's ears.

"I knew you would arrive today," somehow the youkai felt comforted by that declaration, and he knew this person would be able to help Kagome. The woman continued speaking, "There is a table by the willow tree where I will join you, and no more worries about the little one."

Sesshomaru spotted the table the woman indicated and sat down in a comfortable wicker chair facing the willow. He did not wait long.

"You are Sesshomaru," said the Lady of Ages, "we will dispense with pleasantries for I know your task is urgent, but first I must dispel any mistaken notions you have about me, sir, I am not youkai."

Sniffing the woman's scent, Sesshomaru realized she was, in fact, a mortal, but her powers must be immense for she was able to cloak herself easily. She'd allowed him to sense her.

Hiding his surprise, the youkai asked, "How do you plan to help Kagome?"

The woman, her face concealed beneath a veil, replied warmly, "That is not all you wish to ask."

"No. It is what must be discussed."

"True," said the Lady, "but you're a curious soul, Old One, so I'll tell you what you want to know. In the plainest terms, I suppose I'd be called a witch, but what I know has been passed through my family for generations and is only used to help others. We've always been able to tap into nature and manipulate the energy as needed. I'm no priestess like your Kagome-I see no dead though I have limited insight into what will happen, and I certainly cannot purify anything more than water with a good charcoal filter."

Sesshomaru stared at the woman, openly puzzled as to what she could do for Kagome then.

"I can heal though, and I can also hide energy, and that is what you need of me for the little girl. Take this potion, and be certain Kagome drinks every drop-she'll believe it's juice. I cannot promise more than a decade of protection, but Kagome will be older by then and better able to understand what's happening to her. Her powers will be hidden from herself and others. In short, she'll be safe until she's ready for her own power, and I'm sorry I cannot offer you more. Good-bye, Sesshomaru." The Lady of Ages turned away and walked back to her dwelling, leaving him no chance to reply, but Sesshomaru felt lighter and happier for having met her.

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Tokyo, Japan

Ueno Park

Kagome waited as patiently as she could for her grandfather outside Toshogu Shrine, but she'd lost interest in her doll and was tired of sitting on the little wooden bench. He'd told her he'd be right back, of course, to a child a few minutes quickly become hours, and Kagome decided she had better things to do than wait around all day. Silently, she stood up and slipped out of the courtyard where she could play under the shade of a nearby cherry tree. The trees were in full bloom, and Kagome could see many people carrying blankets and picnic baskets-reminding her she was hungry-obviously on their way to have a meal in the fresh air and sunshine. She envied the many laughing children who darted about as they played with their mothers and fathers, and she felt sad remembering her how much fun she'd had with her daddy during the cherry blossom season last year.

"Your grandfather told you to wait for him," a voice called from above, startling the little girl.

Kagome grinned widely as she recognized the voice and whispered, "Red in Winter!" She clapped her hands and bounced up and down excitedly. "You're really home!"

"Yes, Kagome." her friend said.

"Where have you been? Daddy went to heaven while you were away, and Mama isn't crying so much now. Souta cries all the time though because he's teething," Kagome frowned for a moment.

Her friend laughed briefly and said, "Little brothers are a challenge. You must be patient with Souta," Kagome's friend dropped from the branches of the tree to land gracefully in front of her. He continued speaking softly, "I have something for you, but you must drink every drop and then return to wait for your grandfather like a good girl."

"Is it a present?" Kagome clapped her hands delightedly.

"In a way, yes," Sesshomaru handed her the bottle.

"Thank you!" The little girl eagerly took the tiny bottle and drank every drop of the sweet elixir inside. She smacked her tiny lips and laughingly said, "It tickles my nose! Mmmmm, tastes good," she declared and grinned widely.

Sesshomaru returned her smile and caught her just as she fell toward the ground and lost consciousness for a few seconds. When she became aware of her surroundings again, Kagome looked up at the man holding her. He wore white pants, a red shirt and had the longest, blackest hair she'd ever seen. His hair was prettier than her mama's!

"Are you all right?" the man asked her kindly.

Kagome peered into the man's eyes and felt as though she'd known him for a long time, but she was sure his eyes should be the color of golden poppies or honey instead of like the sea in winter…winter, the word made her feel as though it had something to do with this man. She wasn't sure how she was so certain she knew him, but everything about him nearly shouted 'friend' to her. She smiled warmly at him and said, "Yes, I'm fine."

"You tripped and fell, little one, would you like me to help you find your family?"

"My grandfather's in the shrine," Kagome answered.

"I see, then perhaps you should return to the shrine too—"

Kagome interrupted, "I'm Kagome! Who are you?" Had her mother been there, she would have scolded the little girl for demanding to know the man's name so rudely, but the question didn't seem to bother him in the least.

"You may call me Ryan," he told her, "and now I think it's time to get you back where you belong."

Kagome grabbed her new friend's hand and skipped beside him as they walked toward the shrine. Her grandfather was outside calling for her.

"I'm here, Grandpa!"

The old man spoke gently but firmly, "Kagome Higurashi! You shouldn't have wandered off like that. I was worried sick about you."

"It's okay, Grandpa, I found Ryan. He helped save me from falling," the little girl grinned at both of the men standing in front of her.

"Ryan, eh? I take it one of your parents wanted an American name, ah, I'll never understand young people today." The old man shook his head sadly and muttered about traditions lost before continuing, "Well, thank you for helping my granddaughter, young man, I wouldn't have been so long had the caretaker been quicker in getting me the name of his carpenter."

"Carpenter?" asked Sesshomaru.

"Yes, the storm last week did a bit of damage to the roof of our shrine, and the man who does repairs for Toshogu does excellent work," Kagome's grandfather explained.

"I see, well, Kagome was no trouble at all. She's a sweet little girl."

"I'm glad she wasn't any trouble, and again, my thanks," the old man bowed and smiled at Kagome.

"Ryan," she said shyly, "you can come to my house and play if you want."

Sesshomaru chuckled, "I wish I could, Kagome, but I'm afraid my brother would be cranky if I left him alone in the office all day."

"Little brothers are a challenge," Kagome said, parroting someone she couldn't quite recall anymore.

Ryan smiled and said, "To be certain they are," and Kagome believed his was the saddest smile she'd ever seen. She hugged the man, and as her grandfather said goodbye to Ryan, Kagome had the strangest feeling she would see him again someday.

As she and her grandfather walked through the park, he suddenly asked her, "Kagome, how did you know that man's brother was younger than him?"

The little girl shrugged, puzzled by the thought, but said, "I don't know, Grandpa."

…………………………………………………………………………………………...

Pained, Sesshomaru watched over Kagome as she and her grandfather made their way back home; the youkai felt saddened over the thought that she would never remember her friend, Red in Winter, but at least the child would be free from evil youkai who might harm her. When Kagome discovered him in the shrine, Inuyasha had been furious since both inu-youkai had agreed to watch and protect only from a distance, but the hanyou was willing to admit the problem must be fixed. It had taken Sesshomaru a little over a year to find the Lady of Ages, but in that year, the tai-youkai had the chance to relive a bit of his own past. In his stolen hours with Kagome, he felt very close to Rin, and he realized his true feelings for the girl. The love he felt for Kagome was the love one has had for an idea, at least in the beginning, but getting to know Kagome as a little girl gave Sesshomaru the opportunity to remember what it had felt like to be someone's father. Since getting to know her, he realized more than ever how much his life lacked, and now it was his turn to find someone.

"Father, are you laughing at me from your grave?" he asked, gazing after the two figures. He couldn't help wondering exactly what his father would have said upon discovering one human girl could be the catalyst in Sesshomaru's transformation.


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Well, my beta flaked on me, so you're getting a chapter that's still fairly raw, but I did want to put this up before Christmas. I've edited, proofed and basically run through this chapter so many times my eyes are about to bleed; I can do no more with it accept find fault with myself later. Every reviewer deserves thanks! MetsukiKaraTen, thank you for your wonderful review, as always, and I'm going to yell at the rest of you to read her fic again if you're not already-I hope this chapter answers some of your questions. It's funny, Metsuki, I hadn't intended to turn Kouga into something quite so twisted, but the truth is that both he and Houjo give me the screaming heebie jeebies when I stop and think about it. Wudelfin, it really is a great excuse to go to comic conventions, lol. D Mai-sama, you've been here all along too, and I thank you for each review. The Kikyo Hater, um, well I don't hate Kikyou, lol, but I will say thanks for taking the time to review and condolences for our rabbit, and give Kikyou a chance-she's not so bad when you remember how much she grew throughout the series. Actually, I should thank all of you who sent well wishes because it truly meant a lot.

Higurashi Enterprises

Tokyo, Japan

"SESSHOMARU!" Inuyasha howled as he stormed through the double doors of an elegantly decorated office high above the streets of Tokyo. Several tasteful paintings, including an original Van Gogh acquired by Sesshomaru just as the artist was sinking into the depths of alcoholism and absinthe abuse, hung on the warm mahogany paneled walls, but Inuyasha was in no mood to discuss interior décor or art for the moment. He stalked toward the sleek, deep brown, leather chair in which his brother sat, looking obviously annoyed with the hanyou for interrupting.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Inuyasha demanded, angrily slamming his hands palms down on the antique walnut library table Sesshomaru had paid a small fortune to buy during the 1960's when the Lord of the West proclaimed all contemporary furniture a trifling error in human judgment that would withstand neither time nor the least aggressive of ill-tempered house-pets.

Sighing, in what Inuyasha believed was resignation, Sesshomaru looked up from his papers and said, "Tell you what, pray tell?"

Inuyasha sneered in disgust, "You swore to me you wouldn't hide anything from me ever again. So, when the fuck were you going to tell me Kouga was in the Higurashi's HOME?!" Fury rolled off the half-demon in dark waves, but the look Sesshomaru gave him was enough to tell him he had no idea what Inuyasha was talking about.

"Is Kagome—"

"She's fine," Inuyasha interrupted, "You really didn't know?"

"I have not been to the shrine, little brother, Kagome accompanied her grandfather to Toshogu Shrine. I saw them walking together through Ueno Park before I reached their home and proceeded to follow them. As I told you last night, she's taken the potion," said Sesshomaru who continued to ask, "Why do you believe Kouga was there?"

"His scent, at least three days old," spat Inuyasha, "the whole place smells of that bastard, even Kagome's room. He wanted us to know he'd been there, so this means I get to finally kill him, right?"

"If only it were that easy. We still have no idea where Kouga is hiding in Russia, for that matter, other reports indicate at least some of the wolves may have relocated; wherever they are, Yalitza protects them," the youkai stated, disgust reverberating through each word.

Inuyasha growled at the mention of the demoness but managed to stay focused on the problem at hand without reverting to swearing and smashing furniture, "We'll have to tighten security around the shrine. There's no other option."

"Did you see signs of damage?" asked the tai-youkai.

"No, I just smelled his filthy stench, feh, as if that wasn't bad enough," groused the younger demon as he began pacing from one end of the room to the other.

"Excellent, this means Yalitza has warned Kouga about the timeline."

Inuyasha paused mid-stride and looked at his brother, noting the cool exterior and careful consideration etched in the features of the older demon's face, giving the half-demon a moment to think clearly. "You're probably right. She knows Kaede told me not to meddle-wouldn't the old hag love to know it was you who bound her powers-and Yalitza's sly. If she's planning on getting to me through Kouga and Kagome, she wouldn't want Kouga to fuck it up before her plans are ready," said Inuyasha thoughtfully.

Sesshomaru nodded in agreement and added, "The wolf is not stupid, little brother, he will not risk losing Kagome-not now that he can see her from a distance. How strange he never considered what the miko wants…"

"Kouga never considered more than his dick," the hanyou said bitterly.

"You need not resort to crudeness, Inuyasha, though I must say your colorful take on Kouga's personality is far more refreshing than Jaken's babble over his youngest whelp, though I am relieved to say the little one takes after his mother," said Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha broke into laughter, "Seventeen toadlets! Rin would've loved that—she certainly gave him enough trouble when she was a pup."

"True, Rin had a way with him, and Jaken has never allowed me to forget it," Sesshomaru smiled lightly over the memory, continuing to speak, "It is best we continue to monitor the Higurashi family while keeping our distance. Perhaps Shippou would be willing to send Dai to volunteer at the shrine—the boy is old enough to be of use to the family?"

"He's fourteen and is training as a slayer, and on the plus side, the kid has some spiritual powers. He looks a hell of a lot like Miroku," said Inuyasha.

"Hmm, let us hope spiritual powers are all he inherited from your monk," the tai-youkai said wisely, "I sincerely doubt Kimiko Higurashi will appreciate any advances made by an errant teenager."

Inuyasha blanched and groaned, dreading the potential outcome. He remembered all too well how Kagome reacted to Miroku's wandering hands and appraising looks; if Kimiko was anything like her daughter, he could just hear the woman's furious screeches now.

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Higurashi Shrine

Tokyo, Japan

August 5, 1985

Voices, subdued and indecipherable, carried up the stairs and into Kagome's room. She'd been so busy with her paper dolls and coloring books that she hadn't noticed a tall, slender, boy enter her room and grin ear to ear. He was a bit gangly like many boys that age, and he had the deepest black eyes that twinkled merrily, as though the next game or romp through the woods was just around the next corner. Dai hadn't volunteered long at the shrine, but he'd quickly become a favorite of the entire family and was allowed access to their home-most volunteers were never allowed beyond the shrine, grounds, storage facilities and little gift shop her mother sometimes ran when her grandfather was too busy his other duties.

"So…no hello for me today, Kagome?" asked the boy.

"DAI!" she shrieked happily, "Mama said you'd come today, oh good, you can play dolls with me now." Kagome had no idea how mercilessly Dai would be teased by his Uncle Shippou should the fox ever discover the boy spent afternoons entertaining a four year old girl with her dolls. Smiling, she passed him a paper doll and told him he was the princess who needed to be rescued.

"Who's your doll, Kagome?" Dai asked.

Kagome grinned, "He's a youkai prince, and he'll save you, don't worry. He saves everyone--even when he's cranky."

Dai pointed to a paper doll the little girl had certainly made for it had no real human form and was comprised of the deepest shades of purple and black, "Um, who's that one?"

"That's Naru," the little girl earnestly whispered, "he's bad-he wants to kill the princess and prince, but they have a magic stone and two great warriors to help them win!"

"Kill them? Have you been listening to Mr. Higurashi's stories again? Your mother worries you'll have bad dreams," Dai warned her.

"Hey, did you eat lunch?" Kagome changed the subject abruptly rather than answer Dai's questions. Sometimes older people were funny about dreams, and she didn't like explaining that her games helped her work through the strange nightmares she sometimes had and didn't understand.

"You hungry, Kagome?"

"Momma said she'd make peanut butter and egg onigiri for me today with jelly for dipping. You'll like it too, I promise," for as long as anyone in the Higurashi household could remember, Kagome had a love of blending some of the oddest foods for recipes, and the girl usually ate whatever she dreamed up for her mother to cook. The previous week she'd gotten her mother to buy waffles and cover them in something called Sloppy Joe mix, and to make it more interesting she asked for fried tofu for garnish. No one but Kagome had been able to swallow the vile concoction.

Dai laughed good-naturedly and followed the girl downstairs, "I don't know that my taste is quite as exotic as yours."

"What's exotic?" Kagome loved discovering new words she could add to her rapidly growing vocabulary, of course, her mother often had to remind her that repeating some of her grandfather's favorite words was a bad idea. Her grandpa sometimes said words or sayings he heard in American and English movies, and Kagome had quickly discovered that the phrase "crazy as a shithouse rat" was not something one should say in polite company.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

From Dai Koshino's perspective, Kagome was a bright and happy kid with a whole world of trouble in her future the poor little girl couldn't even begin to understand. Sometimes, as he'd told Uncle Shippou, he felt guilty for letting the Higurashi family think he was just there to sweep floors, dust rooms and do minor repairs as needed; being a spy was more than the fourteen year old bargained for, but when Shippou explained the gravity of the situation, Dai had willingly embraced the job. So far, he'd seen nothing to indicate anything odd over the past few months. There were chores to do that required diligence and patience now and then, but the overall work load was fairly light in the grand scheme. He'd given a few tours, one in which he'd known there was a hanyou amidst the visitors, but the guy had been there with his wife and baby, buying a few charms and sutras like any other tourist. Dai wasn't even certain the man knew he was hanyou; his powers were weak and unskilled, making it unlikely he was working for Kouga. Still, he'd reported the customer and let Shippou and Inuyasha handle it from there. In truth, Dai's spiritual powers were strong, and he'd trained since he was very young to deal with those powers. His great-grandmother, Grandmother Sango, insisted Dai be sent to best monks and priests in order to explore his spiritual gifts thoroughly, and he was educated at home by private tutors in order to focus on his training as a demon slayer as well. As a result, the teenager was a great deal more mature than most of his peers. Young in years, Dai possessed an old soul his sensei told him, and Dai intended to use his soul and gifts to protect those in need.

Dai led Kagome to the family table and watched the little girl dig into her lunch, smacking her lips and proclaiming it the best peanut butter and boiled egg ever. He nearly cringed when she said to her mother that she thought dill pickles would be the best in the strawberry jam. Kimiko smiled at her daughter and looked up at him, winking conspiratorially as she said, "Here, Dai, I've made some for the rest of us too."

"Thank you, Mrs. Higurashi," he said, more than a little relieved to see she hadn't prepared a bowl of melted jam for him as well. He bit into the little rice ball and savored the delicious salmon filling; thankfully, Kimiko Higurashi was not a fan of Kagome's cooking ideas either.

"See, Dai, it's good," Kagome grinned, her face smeared with peanut butter, jam and bits of egg, "Grandpa, come here and eat what Momma and I cooked!"

"Inside voices, and your grandfather has eaten," Kimiko admonished.

Dai chuckled and said to Kimiko, "Did she help you cook?"

"Not exactly," said Kimiko, "Kagome thinks coming up with recipes for me to make is cooking. I'm really hoping she'll grow out of this as she gets older." The woman smiled at her daughter fondly and ruffled the child's hair.

When they finished lunch, Kimiko said, "Kagome, dear, would you help Grandpa with some sweeping while I chat with Dai?"

"Okay, Momma," the little girl jumped from her cushion and ran out the backdoor into the sunshine.

Dai wondered what the woman wanted to say to him, and he'd always been a pragmatic soul who liked get right to the point, "Is something wrong, Mrs. Higurashi?"

Kimiko looked him in the eyes, and Dai believed she was appraising him for all he was worth as she said, "I know you haven't been here long, but I wanted to ask you a favor if it's okay?"

"Of course it is, ma'am, I'm sure I can do whatever you need," said Dai, his voice filled with confidence beyond his years.

The young woman smiled brightly, her eyes softening a bit, as she told the boy, "Be careful, young man, never agree to a favor unless you know what you're being asked," Kimiko's eyes sparkled with amusement. She continued speaking, "When Isamu died, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to cope with living and raising two children, but then we moved in here. Suddenly, things became a bit more bearable, Dai, and I want to thank you for giving our family such joy in these past few months."

Dai wondered where she was going with the conversation but said, "I've enjoyed working in the shrine, Mrs. Higurashi, and your family has been good to me."

She smiled at him, "Just before you arrived, I could have sworn someone was watching our family…just little things made me wonder. I'd come home and find books moved or drawers rearranged, but the changes were sometimes so subtle I wondered if I was imagining problems where there weren't any just to keep my mind off Isamu.

"Dai, you're very young, and I would never ask you to do anything dangerous, but I want you to promise me you'll report any suspicious activity, please, no matter how minor it seems. Will you do that for me?"

Dai looked at the ashen-faced woman in front of him, wondering what had happened to make her so anxious, and nodded his head, "Yes, ma'am, but may I ask if you've seen anyone suspicious?"

"I haven't, but there are some clothes of Kagome's missing from the laundry hamper, and Kagome swears she didn't take the blouse or skirt from the laundry room. It's her favorite shirt—red with a white Peter Pan collar. You've most likely seen her wear dozens of times since you started and haven't even noticed the outfit," replied Kimiko.

"What self-respecting teenage boy would notice what a little kid wears?" The woman chuckled a bit at her own joke, and Dai smiled lightly in return, feeling faintly sick that the wolf youkai had most likely been sniffing around a child and stolen her clothes.

"Maybe you should call the police?" asked the boy, knowing she'd say she couldn't, but it wouldn't matter because he'd tell Shippou and Inuyasha as soon as he could call them.

Kimiko smiled ruefully, "I doubt the police will say anything more than Kagome must have lost or hidden her clothes for some reason only a child could fathom, but I saw the outfit in the hamper last night before I went to bed. She wore it yesterday to visit her little friend, Aiko, and I saw her put her clothes in the basket before her bath last night. I don't want you to worry, Dai, I just want you to be aware that something odd is happening…I'd never forgive myself if you were to be harmed."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Higurashi, I'll keep an eye out and let you know if I see anything," Dai promised. He had an awful feeling Inuyasha's head would explode.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ural Mountains

Virgin Komi Forests

August 7, 1985

Pacing between the water demoness and Ginta, Kouga fumed silently, contemplating how many ways he could make Inuyasha suffer. The wolf youkai knew about suffering, and truth be told, he was excellent at causing suffering; he'd been very careful never to show Kagome that side of himself for fear of scaring the girl too much. She hadn't been ready for a life as mate to a powerful prince who often held the lives of others in his hands, but once she was, she'd learn to obey him just as Ayame had even if meant a little suffering along the way. His mind returned to his present task, and he stood and shook, furious and deeply anguished, as he planned his next course of action. Ginta would have to be punished for his transgressions, but as a pack member, Kouga had no real desire to extend his death as painfully as possible. He hated the idea of killing the wolf and needed time to give the loss some thought and cope with the pain of losing a brother.

"How could you even contemplate going to that son of a bitch?" Kouga asked, his voice deadly low and quiet.

Ginta glared at Yalitza and said, "You no longer live for the pack, Kouga, my loyalty is to Lady Ayame's memory."

"You wish to challenge me?" Kouga laughed at the idea and continued speaking, "FOOL! The others will never follow you, and the elders will learn to remember who protects them or suffer your fate. I will not tolerate insubordination, and if you believe carrying tales off to the dogs will endear you to them, you're more of an idiot than I dreamed."

"Kouga," Yalitza interrupted, "be grateful you caught him and be done with the matter—"

Kouga leapt forward, grabbed the female youkai by her throat and slammed her body against the cave wall, "Do not ever interfere with me or mine again, worthless whore, one does not execute a brother lightly," he hissed.

Yalitza writhed and strained against Kouga, gagging as she felt claws prick the delicate skin of her throat, "Forgive me," she whispered, "your people and mine deal differently with betrayal. I overstepped my bounds."

"Damn right you did," Kouga said, throwing the youkai to the rocky floor. She scrambled up and rubbed her neck.

Ginta laughed, "Careful, Kouga, you wouldn't want to risk pissing off your little spell- caster too much."

Ignoring the remark, Kouga turned back to the other wolf youkai and said to him, "I am sorry, brother, you have no idea how much I wanted you there as witness when I take Kagome."

"She never wanted to be yours," Ginta shrugged, "you never could understand that. Do you think Kagome would want you to take her away from all she loves?"

"Aren't I allowing her mother to raise her for now? I won't take her until Naraku is defeated! You know this!"

"You're obsessed with her and always have been…you stole garments that belong to a little girl, and you've spent the last two days avoiding the rest of the pack while sniffing after an unripe female. It's disgusting and jeopardizes us all. If Lord Sesshomaru can stop you, I will gladly give up my life if it means protecting an innocent," Kouga had never seen Ginta look so determined.

"So you admit your betrayal?" Kouga asked.

"I admit nothing-one cannot betray evil, and you are rolling in filth," the wolf stood proudly, facing the youkai he would no longer accept as leader.

"You are sentenced to die at sunset tomorrow evening," Kouga said softly, "I am grieved you are no longer one of us. Had you only shown remorse…"

"I cannot regret trying to save Lady Kagome," Ginta smiled, "she deserves better than you, as did Ayame."

Kouga slammed his fist into Ginta's nose, and an audible crack was heard as the bones in the younger wolf's face shattered. Before Kouga could do more damage, he forced himself to take a breath and said, "I'll miss you."

Yalitza, smiling delightedly, spoke harshly to Kouga's guards, "See to it he does not escape. I do not think your prince will be pleased with incompetence."

Tonight, Kouga planned to mourn his brother and remind the others that madness fells even the best and most good-natured youkai now and then. The rest of the wolves would join him in mourning their mutual loss. Yalitza could never understand the hardship a pack faced when losing family, and Kouga would have to confine her to her quarters in order to keep her mouth from getting her killed. Perhaps her people dealt more easily with killing members of their clan.

Neither Kouga nor Yalitza saw the shadowy figure of Hakkaku enter the back of the cave as they left the cavern used for a holding cell.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Shippou listened to Dai's suggestions for improving security around the shrine without alerting the Higurashi family. The boy was understandably upset over the disappearance of Kagome's clothing, and he'd let Inuyasha know his fears as soon as he was able. Both Inuyasha and Shippou rushed to the shrine as soon as they'd gotten home from an extended trip to Russia running after a lead that proved false, and it didn't take either youkai long to confirm Kouga had indeed been sneaking through the house recently since the wolf had purposely left his scent all over the little girl's belongings again. It meant they might have to use youkai to keep watch over the shrine during the night; Inuyasha had been furious with the idea until Shippou reminded him that once his past self came through the well they would be able to leave Kagome's safety in Inuyasha's hands.

Inuyasha shook his head at the younger demon and human and said, "This shit is beyond confusing sometimes. What if we fuck up her entire life by placing guards around her house, Shippou? Kagome will never forgive me." The hanyou groaned, presumably over the thought of a furious Kagome sitting him to hell and back, but Shippou suspected the young woman would understand and be just as forgiving as he remembered.

"I could watch over them," Dai offered quietly.

"It wouldn't work," said Shippou, smiling at the young human, "your powers are strong, but not strong enough to defeat Kouga yet, and I can't risk you. We have to be reasonable and honest, Dai, but I do think you're onto something. Inuyasha, you know the house across the street is for sale-maybe we could use that to our advantage."

Inuyasha grinned, "Hey that's right! My two best humans are getting married next week, Shiro and Rei, so I'll buy the damn house and give them their new assignment. Dai can watch keep an eye out during the day, and my people will be around at night.

"Being head of a security for a worldwide company should have a few benefits. I'll let Sesshomaru know tonight over dinner."

"Good thinking, and now I think you need to get home, Dai," said Shippou.

"All right, Uncle Shippou, Mom's picking me up in front of the shrine in twenty minutes anyway."

Shippou hugged the boy, clearly upset by all that had occurred, "Be careful when you're here."

"I will," Dai grinned, "the worst thing I have to fear is Kagome's recipes."

As the boy ran across the street to wait for his mother, Inuyasha and Shippou turned to face one another, "Recipes?" they said simultaneously.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

June 17, 1991

Inuyasha stared at his television without really watching; he'd been up for hours contemplating the changes over the past few years. Kagome had grown a great deal, and his people continued to watch over the shrine in the night, but there had been no further signs Kouga was lurking about. Dai entered a monastery to further his training, and Shippou couldn't have been more proud of the boy, knowing the young man had done well helping to protect the Higurashi family meant a great deal to everyone involved. Of course, now it was time for Dai to live his own life. Inuyasha had been glad for him, but despite not having seen any sign of Kouga, he continued to worry constantly over Kagome and her family.

The oddest incident, by far, had been when Hakkaku and Ginta had shown up on Sesshomaru's doorstep two weeks after Dai had let Inuyasha and Shippou know of Kagome's missing clothes. Inuyasha nearly killed them on sight, but the wolves had sworn they were there to help protect the little girl and given the inu-clan the information they needed most-Kouga's location in Russia. Unfortunately, it was too late, and the wolves had moved, leaving behind no trace they'd ever been in those dark and cramped caves. The hanyou had been sickened over the thought of Kagome being forced to live in a place like that; she deserved to live her life in the light, as any human should. As for Ginta, Kouga managed to track him down and tear through him until a group of humans wandered onto the scene. Thankfully, the demon had managed to survive the brutal beating, and Hakkaku, who'd been working on a project for Sesshomaru, had escaped that fate via dumb luck. Both wolf demons became more determined to stop Kouga after the incident. Time was passing quickly. Not quickly enough, thought Inuyasha, and each night he found himself walking about the shrine, sitting in the sacred tree and watching over the well.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

December 27, 1994

Higurashi Shrine

Sesshomaru watched fourteen-year old Kagome leave the shrine with her giggling friends, and he smiled as a bit as Eri and Kagome tossed snowballs back and forth until both girls were laughing and chasing each other toward a nearby park. He'd left Inuyasha with Shiro and Rei to discuss plans for continued surveillance while the couple was away on vacation; Sesshomaru had never been overly fond of spying on the family, but he did agree it was a necessary evil. That didn't change the fact that he preferred the stillness of winter to the chatter about covert listening devices and hidden cameras.

The warmth of Kagome's home was inviting, and the tai-youkai was suddenly walking across the street to get a closer look since the girl wasn't around. He hadn't been on the grounds since the day he left to find help for the little miko in the form of a potion, and he often regretted his decision to give it to her. Inuyasha reminded him that this was actually how her life was supposed to go, but that didn't ease the guilt when he thought of all the terror the young teenager would face in the Sengoku Jidai. His walk, unbeknownst to him, was taking him closer to the old well with every step, and when he arrived at the structure, he half wondered if would be able to go through the portal. Leaning forward, he stared into the black depths but refrained from taking of a leap of faith he was certain wasn't meant to work for him. Still, he missed the freedom of being able to walk where he chose, answer to no one, but most of all he missed his Rin, his daughter, his light and reason for learning to live. As he searched for meaning in the well's structure, he failed to notice footsteps behind him.

"The main shrine is up the steps," a voice called to the startled youkai.

He turned to face the young woman and was struck by a certain familiarity about the way she stood and held her head proudly. She was a miko, presumably visiting from a nearby shrine or a new volunteer. She stared right into Sesshomaru's eyes and said quietly, "I will not harm you, youkai, our kind set aside differences long ago." Her eyes danced in the twilight, and Sesshomaru was aware the girl found his befuddlement amusing.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Miyoko Katsura, sir, the Higurashi's have known my family for years, but I don't recall seeing you here before," the young woman said pointedly.

"I apologize for my rudeness. It's been a long while since I visited this shrine, and it is as beautiful and peaceful as I remembered," said Sesshomaru.

The priestess looked at him appraisingly, and Sesshomaru noticed soft light surrounding her, barely visible. She was highly gifted and very much in control of the barrier she kept around herself, "I dream of this well," she told him suddenly, but in my dreams there is no well-house… Who are you?"

Her manner of speaking was fluid, changing and moving abruptly as water will when spilled from a glass, and Sesshomaru had the distinct impression this woman already knew precisely who he was. For the first time in years, Sesshomaru said his name aloud to a human not in his employ, "Sesshomaru, Lord of the West, and your barrier is of little use against me. Leave the well untouched, miko, unless you wish to do great harm to this world." The tai-youkai turned to leave, cursing himself for stepping foot on the property.

Again she startled him when heard her clear voice ask, "Shall I tell you a story, youkai?" What was this infernally confusing young woman's game he wondered, but he nodded to her anyway, curious to hear what she had to say.

"Centuries before I was born, a beautiful priestess, cold and angry over an unwanted duty thrust upon her she was determined to fulfill, learned to love because of a hanyou," Sesshomaru, rooted to the spot, found he could scarcely breathe as Miyoko continued speaking, "Despite her love of this creature, the priestess could never fully trust him, anymore than he trusted her, and so the two were easily tricked into betraying one another. This sad tale was taken in, remembered and etched into the memory of a young girl, also fated to grow up as village priestess, and for many years the girl was angry over her elder sister's death. Yet, her anger would melt and become pity for the hanyou, and eventually she would learn to forgive him. When he was finally reawakened by his former love's reincarnation, the sister of the priestess was quite old… Shall I continue?"

Sesshomaru regained his composure and smirked, "It is a myth I know."

"Lord Sesshomaru, it is no myth, and you and I know it," Miyoko said to him, her eyes filled with accusation and even a little anger, "I have had these dreams too long, and I am tired. I am twenty-two years old and have no right to feel as exhausted as I do, but I will tell you this; you and your brother should have listened to me and never have meddled! Do you know what you've risked?"

Stunned, yet oddly warmed by the sudden realization of who stood in front of him, Sesshomaru looked the human in the face and whispered, "Kaede?"

"That was my name, but never forget that I am not who I was, and you my call me Miyoko, understood?" The dog demon nodded and almost laughed, thinking of all the times Kagome had screeched her name at anyone who didn't get it right the first time. Apparently satisfied with his response, Miyoko continued speaking, "It's taken me years to put the dreams and memories of that life together, and now that I have, I find out it's YOUR fault Kagome has no idea what she is?!" The miko, her body humming with power, shook furiously as she glared at the demon, and Sesshomaru reveled in the sight of it. He'd never been able to make anyone this angry! He suddenly understood why Inuyasha thrilled over every argument he'd shared with Kagome, and he nearly howled with pleasure over the spike in her warm scent and flashing eyes. Pissing off Inuyasha had certainly never been this fun.


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Thank you to all who have reviewed, as always, I do appreciate the kind words, questions and suggestions very much. Cyberdemon, reincarnation is a complex idea that spans many centuries and religions, and as a result, there are several theories of thought on the subject. Since this is fanfiction, I hesitated to bog readers down with too much theology within the story, but I will say that some religions include the idea that a soul is not present until birth (or even well after birth at a an official naming ceremony)-an idea I included when Kagome was born, thus I had no need to focus on gestation during pregnancy. This story spans centuries, religions and theories; no one idea is right or superior. As a character in a rather famous novel once said, "All gods are One God and all goddesses are One Goddess," and it's basically what I'm going on in this piece. Oh, if anyone happens to know where that quote comes from and in what novel it plays a major role, then you win. I'm not sure what you win, but we'll think of something, perhaps a drabble pairing of your choice. To borrow another thought from that book, the truth of everything probably lies somewhere between each version of a story told. That's all you'll get from me when it comes to clues.

My flaking beta, lol, is actually my husband. The man is a whiz with the English language and has proofed and edited for me off and on for years, but he's been rather busy w/work these days. Basically, I called him a flake to irritate him. Like Inuyasha with Kagome, I take a perverse sense of joy in knowing that I am one of the few people that can make S. turn that shade of red in less than ten seconds; he can do the same to me, and we both laugh when all is said and done. Okay, long and draggy note-sorry about that, enjoy the chapter!

January 12, 1996

Ueno Park

Tokyo, Japan

It would be months before the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, but Sesshomaru had never minded the starkness of winter. Since he'd met Miyoko Katsura, he'd found himself wandering the park each night, contemplating how he should go about introducing the young woman to Inuyasha. He knew his younger brother would most likely offend the woman and tell her to shut the hell up before she even had a chance to speak her mind, and Sesshomaru was fairly certain Miyoko, with her temper, would see to it Inuyasha was unconscious for at least a week after the event. He'd seen her twice since their first meeting. Both times, the miko had been polite, but the second time they met she'd allowed Sesshomaru to explain why Kagome's powers had been bound. She'd relented and agreed it would have been unwise to allow the little girl to expose herself prematurely; Kagome could have ended up dead, and the past would have unraveled into the kami only knew what sort of living hell.

Sesshomaru stuffed his hands into the deep pockets of his wool overcoat and sat quietly, breathing the cold air of night and basking in the soft city lights and moonlight. He loved this place. Since it was normally filled with people, he decided it would also be a perfect place to invite Miyoko for another talk, just a talk he told himself. Behind him snow crunched, and he knew it was the priestess instantly by her soft tread. He turned to greet her. She wore her long brown hair down, and she'd dressed in jeans, simple winter boots, and several layers the dog demon couldn't quite make out beneath an oversized cashmere wool coat, and he suddenly felt a bit guilty for asking her to meet him here in the cold. Her hands, stiff and oddly swollen looking, had been shoved into two, possibly three, pairs of knit gloves, and to top off the weather-ready ensemble, the young woman had wrapped a scarf around her neck and covered her chin and mouth with it loosely. Sesshomaru almost said to her that she might stay warmer if she wore a hat since humans lost so much heat through their heads, but he thought better of it when he saw her eyes flash dangerously.

"Why here? You could have least chosen someplace warm!" the priestess snapped.

"I thought you'd prefer a public place in which to meet," said the youkai, trying to remain impassive.

The woman quirked an eyebrow, for a moment looking like a warped reflection of him, and said, "You chose a park in the middle of the night and expected me to feel safe! Are you completely insane?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and growled, "I am neither insane nor a danger to you, and I will not be insulted."

For the first time since he'd met her, the priestess looked at a loss for words, but she finally bowed her head and said softly, "My apologies, Lord Sesshomaru, I'm cold and not happy with trudging here in the dead of night through the snow. I should have told you I'd rather meet elsewhere. Why did you call me anyway?"

"Just Sesshomaru, please, and I think it's time for you to meet Inuyasha," said Sesshomaru, and it was true, but he refrained from telling her he'd also wanted her company. He wondered how much this woman was like Kaede when she'd been young.

"All right, Sesshomaru, where is he?" asked the miko.

"In the car, and I promise you it's warmer there," Sesshomaru smiled at her as he spoke.

The young woman's barrier flared slightly, but she said, "Fine, lead the way, and you'd better put a leash on him if he misbehaves! Kaede may have trusted him, but I don't know either of you." She added, "Yet…," to soften her words most likely, and Sesshomaru appreciated it.

As they walked down a narrow, cleanly shoveled path, Sesshomaru made a point of asking Miyoko about her life, and she relaxed while telling him tales of school and college. She wanted to pursue a medical degree and hoped to study, specifically, pediatric medicine in Europe or perhaps America. The old woman he recalled had been caring and always interested in helping others in need, so it seemed natural that her soul would gravitate toward medicine. When she spoke about her passions, she had an odd way of tilting her head to the left, and Sesshomaru couldn't help but watch her from the corner of his eye. She smelled faintly of lavender, a body lotion or cologne he assumed, that was almost as alluring as her natural scent that reminded him of a spiced tea he'd grown fond of while traveling through India with Inuyasha on business. Shippou had been with them that on that trip, and the two younger demons spent most of their time behaving as though neither had a lick of sense of between them. Of course, those days were long gone since Shippou was happily mated and no longer trying to hump anything that moved. Sesshomaru breathed deeply and smiled at the woman beside him. His memories were good, but the present was better.

His reverie was interrupted when his younger brother's voice called, "I was getting ready to come find you! I'm tired of sitting here, Sesshomaru, hurry the hell up, eh! Uh, who's the woman?" Inuyasha was standing on top of the Bentley barefoot, and Sesshomaru felt an urge to smack him. Oh hell, he would do more than smack the hanyou if he'd scratched the paint with his claws.

"Where are your shoes, Inuyasha?" asked the annoyed tai-youkai.

"In the car," said Inuyasha, "and you shouldn't have expected me to wait that long and not get hot. You know how much I hate those boots, bastard!" The closer it got to the day Kagome would fall down the well, the more rude and belligerent Inuyasha had become. Sesshomaru understood the half-demon's nerves were getting to him, but his cantankerous attitude got old fast.

Sesshomaru growled and turned to Miyoko, "Forgive him, he is—"

"He is just as foul-tempered as ever," the priestess stated emphatically, and Inuyasha stopped mid-stride to stare at her. Her barrier went down, and Sesshomaru knew that for whatever strange reason, Inuyasha's horrible attitude had somehow instantly endeared him to the young woman. The tai-youkai felt the smallest twinge of jealousy.

"Do I know you?" asked Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru watched Miyoko smile brightly and say, "You said you might see me again someday-you don't even recognize your friends anymore? Sango and Miroku would be so disappointed."

Inuyasha stared at her, and Sesshomaru burst into laughter, forgetting his own feelings for the moment; he hadn't seen anyone look so incredibly dumbfounded in his entire existence.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Inuyasha needed several moments to process what the woman in front of him was saying, but there could be no doubt she was speaking the truth. Her scent, as Kagome's had been to Kikyou's, was similar to Kaede's; aside from being filled with vitality, there was an undercurrent to her scent that reminded him of summer and spices. Though the scent of freshly harvested tea was new, the rest was pure Kaede and hadn't changed from the time the miko was a little girl until she grew old and finally passed away. He couldn't believe the young woman in front of him had her memories of being Kaede. There were so many questions he wanted to ask—were there answers? If so, would she even know those answers?

"Why do you remember your past life? Do you remember any others?" demanded the impatient hanyou.

"I had to work to remember, and if there were others, I possess no recollection of them, but I wouldn't remember Kaede's life as I do if I weren't sent here for a purpose, Inuyasha, nothing like this happens without reason," the young priestess said, pausing a moment to consider her next words, "My memories of that life were fragmented at first because they were nothing more than vague dreams and odd feelings. I've always been able to see your kind, so I suppose dreaming of youkai wasn't really a surprise… Then Kagome came into my life, and all my dreams and visions increased and became stronger. I kept a journal and researched so many old scrolls my head would sometimes ache for days. Then one night, after a particularly vivid dream, I awoke and knew everything in an instant. I could see Kikyou as clearly as I see you or Sesshomaru now." For a moment the young woman appeared fragile, and Inuyasha felt pity for her sufferings.

Sesshomaru leaned forward, examined Miyoko and Inuyasha closely, and asked, "Do you know your purpose, miko?"

"At first I thought it was to protect Kagome," answered Miyoko, "but I'm not certain of anything now—despite my suspicions. Inuyasha, you are certain Kagome had the jewel the day well sealed, correct?"

"Yeah, what about it, old hag?" Inuyasha couldn't help it. He'd slipped right back into the familiarity of this woman's company and reverted to calling her names just as he did so long ago.

"INUYASHA!" Sesshomaru's voice shook the windows of the car, "You have been surly, obnoxious and nearly unbearable these past few weeks—watch yourself, hanyou!"

"What'd I say?" said the confused half-demon, staring at his older brother and the priestess sitting next to him. Oddly enough, the young woman sat back suddenly, looking extremely relaxed, and began howling with laughter as she nestled comfortably into her seat.

Sesshomaru looked at Miyoko, looked at Inuyasha, looked at her again and said, "I am surrounded by insanity."

"It's okay, really, it's okay," she said, laughing harder, "I was expecting an 'old hag' or 'stupid old wench' any moment. You have no idea how much I've looked forward to hearing that-it makes all of this real. It means Kaede was real, and I'm not crazy, you know, there was a time when I wondered."

The tension surrounding Sesshomaru and Inuyasha was gone as though it had never existed, and Inuyasha leaned forward to pull Kaede into a warm hug, "I'm really glad you're here." Kaede had been kind to him and even learned to trust him again despite all that happened between him and Kikyou; after Kagome left, the old woman had followed him about and demanded he live even when he didn't want to, and it had been Kaede who'd given him his first second of hope that he might actually see Kagome again. She'd been part of his family, and he was glad to see her amongst the living.

Sesshomaru, though amused by the miko's reaction to his half-brother, decided reminiscing could wait and asked softly, "What do you have to do with the shikon no tama?"

Sobering instantly, Miyoko answered, "I believe I am here to find a way to destroy it without using it."

The tai-youkai stared at the priestess, stunned by her statement, and given that Inuyasha's mouth was gaping and, for once, absolutely silent, he assumed his brother was just as astonished by the news. While Inuyasha appeared to struggle to collect his thoughts, Sesshomaru digested the news and wondered precisely what the cost of such a venture would be; nothing good had ever come from the jewel, and he suspected its' destruction would come at a terrible price.

Inuyasha, apparently finding his voice, said, "Kikyou said an unselfish wish—"

"Do you honestly believe any wish one could ever dream of would be entirely altruistic?" asked Miyoko, and Sesshomaru felt a chill crawling across his flesh and rattling his nerves.

"If selflessness exists, Kagome will be the one who embodies the trait, Mikyoko, trust in the girl if nothing else, and we will find the right wish," Sesshomaru suddenly said, and Inuyasha stared at him, "I suspect it will not go well for the one who tries to eliminate the jewel."

"Sacrifices are often made for the greater good, Lord Sesshomaru, and we must have a back-up plan if the girl cannot perform her duty," said the miko quietly. Inuyasha felt panic coursing through him. He didn't go through these lifetimes without her to watch Kagome die in an attempt to destroy something that might be indestructible, and even if he had just met Miyoko, he certainly wasn't going to ask her to hand over her life either.

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February 21, 1996

Tokyo High School

Kagome listened politely to the guest speaker standing in front of her English teacher's desk and waited patiently for the quiet chime to signal school was out for another day. The teacher also spoke German and French fluently and often reminded the class how useful knowing so many languages could be in business. Kagome really had no interest in studying a third language, but her teacher had insisted all students at least consider the possibility of studying yet one more subject that may or may not be helpful in getting into university. In truth, Kagome never felt quite bright or talented enough to do more than spend the rest of her days tending the family shrine, selling silly trinkets and dressing as a miko left over from another era. She sighed, 'I am not fair to my grandfather,' she thought, trying again to focus on the man prattling away over the advantages of learning German or Chinese as well as English. When the electronic tone finally rang, Kagome happily stored her notebook and pen, but she noticed several students rushing forward to thank their speaker for his time. Soon after her birthday, she'd be taking placement tests; pondering a career at such a young age felt somewhat disconcerting. Kagome had always wanted to study music, but her mother certainly couldn't afford the fees to enroll her in any of the university affiliated schools focusing on music and the arts. 'It's not that my voice is that good anyway,' she told herself as she walked toward the exit.

Outside, students milled back and forth through the halls, joking with one another and chatting over plans to go shopping or hang out on Sunday. Kagome slipped into her heavy winter coat, pulled on her boots, scarf and gloves and stepped lightly between the other students as she made her way for the main courtyard; she hated the antiseptic feel about the school and always felt she could breathe easier as soon as the fresh air hit her in the face. Kagome never shared her feelings with her friends or family, but she looked forward to a day when she could find a place where the air was as clear as it was in her dreams. She could run where she wanted when she dreamed, and sometimes she ran and jumped so fast and far that it felt as though she was flying above the trees.

Plastering a smile on her face, Kagome ignored the melancholy she felt threatening to overwhelm her and greeted her friends, Yuka, Eri and Ayumi, where they were waiting for her.

Eri, the most headstrong of their group, asked loudly, "Hey, Kagome, what took you so long?"

"I wanted to change into my boots," Kagome replied.

Eri shook her head and said, "You worry about getting sick too much."

"Live a little, Kagome, it's not going to kill you to have wet shoes now and then," laughed Yuka, following Eri's lead as usual.

Ayumi, quiet, hopelessly romantic and a the brightest in the group of friends, smiled faintly and said, "I'd have worn my boots too if my stupid feet weren't getting so big."

"Your feet aren't too big, Ayumi, you're just taller than the rest of us," said Kagome.

"Well, whose house today?" asked Eri.

"It's my turn," said Kagome, wishing she hadn't offered to host the next study group.

The four girls turned and headed for the shrine, chatting about clothes, hairstyles, the latest movies in Japan and from overseas, and movie talk always brought them round to the issue of boys. It wasn't that Kagome didn't like boys, but she honestly didn't feel comfortable discussing them. While Yuka and Eri had no problem wondering what it might be like to kiss the tall boy from algebra or what some singer looked like naked, Kagome found herself cringing over their frank discussions; she also noticed that Ayumi rarely participated other than to say something like, "Well, I think Himuro-san is cute." When pressed for details as to why she thought he was cute, Ayumi would simply blush and shake her head.

'Our conversations are pointless and silly,' thought Kagome as Yuka squealed over a pink dress she saw featured on the back of a magazine Ayumi was carrying, but at least the chattering had gone back to the topic of fashion. As she surreptitiously rolled her eyes, Kagome understood why her mother so often said she must have an old soul. Kagome might enjoy chatting over movies and hair now and then, but it got old day after day. At least Ayumi knew there was more to life than growing up enough to date, and Kagome appreciated the conversations she had with her friend about books, music and art far more than she did the endless prattle over that silly older boy, Houjo, Eri and Yuka were always praising. He wasn't even in their class, and the only reason they ever saw him was because all the classes were combined for choir, and while Houjo seemed harmless enough, it bothered Kagome the way he sometimes managed to run into her around school or her own neighborhood so frequently. It wasn't like she knew the boy that well; he was simply a part of the landscape. Of course next year, she'd be a year older, and maybe she'd change her mind about the guy and feel less uncomfortable with him. While Yuka and Eri liked to tease her that Houjo must really like her since he made a point of running into her so often, Kagome never found the thought anything more than a little annoying and strange. Still, she hated hurting anyone, and she did her best to be kind to everyone she met, even when the person was a bit of a nuisance.

"Kagome," Ayumi whispered, "are you okay?"

Nodding and smiling her brightest smile, Kagome said, "Of course, but I am a little worried about that history exam."

"You sure that's all? You've been a little distracted lately," said the concerned girl.

Ayumi's observations were usually a little too perceptive to suit Kagome, and Kagome hated the fact that her friend might be worrying about her for no reason other than a strange feeling of discontent she felt unable to shake no matter how hard she tried. It was as though the world around her was waiting for something to happen, holding its' breath for misstep that was sure to come, and for the life of Kagome, she couldn't understand what that might be. Of late, she'd felt as though there was far more to the world around her than she'd even understood in the past; sometimes she just "felt" wrong, and in those moments she questioned her own sanity. The closer she got to her birthday the more anxious she became, but Kagome was unable to explain the sense of urgency she felt as the day approached; the only thing settled nerves was sitting beneath the Goshinbouku and meditating.

March 15, 1996

Westin Miyako Hotel

Kyoto, Japan

Rain poured from the deep black clouds, easily seen from the Miyako's windows, and Hakkaku had to admit he was grateful for the respite from the wind and cold outside. He still had no idea why his boss had wanted to meet with everyone in Kyoto, but he had no doubt Lord Sesshomaru had chosen the place for a reason. Ginta sat on a full-length couch, feet propped on a small table, eyes half closed and so obviously on the verge of falling asleep that Hakkaku would have laughed had he not sensed neither Sesshomaru nor Inuyasha were in any mood for nonsense. A strange young woman who appeared to be in her twenties paced in front of a picture window, and Shippou sat with a telephone glued to his ear as he softly promised his mate he would indeed be home the next day. It would have been like a feudal reunion party had Kouga been there and in his right mind, but Hakkaku shook that thought away quickly.

In the distance, thunder cracked and lightening flashed acetylene streaks across the sky, and the wolf demon found himself pacing in time with the little human woman near the window; he sensed power around her, and it was obvious Inuyasha knew her but was hesitant to make any introductions until Sesshomaru was ready. The whole day was beginning to grate on Hakkaku's nerves, and he jumped nearly five feet in the air when Ginta began snoring loudly. Thankfully, Sesshomaru chose that moment to clear his throat and wake the sleeping youkai without further incident.

The tai-youkai set his briefcase on a nearby table, nodded to everyone in the room and announced that the woman, Miyoko Katsura, was a miko and friend to the Higurashi family. Hakkaku felt a firm push in the back of his mind, as though someone had just set the world's largest domino structure in motion, and none of them were anything more than a few more falling pieces to add to a growing list. Everything that had happened to him since he'd met Kagome launched him some unforeseen moment in the near future. Destiny, a word he loathed, was something he refused to accept without question because it meant accepting that he had no choice in this life, and the inability to choose would make sacrificing his ties with the wolf youkai clan meaningless. He looked at Ginta, reading the same thoughts in his brother's eyes, and the two made a silent promise to one another that when this finally ended; they would go home to the wolves and face whatever punishment was meted against them.

…………………………………………………………………………………………...

After four hours debate, a two-hour break for room service and the constant drone of rain against the windows, Shippou broke the silence that had settled around the room after their meal, "Our lives revolve around the past…"

"What of it?" demanded Inuyasha.

"It is not a criticism, little brother. None of us wishes to wake tomorrow and discover Naraku alive and well, but I do believe it's time to stop worrying and start living in the present. You will drive yourself mad if you refuse to let what must happen simply occur," Sesshomaru spoke to the room full of people, but Inuyasha knew the words were directed at him.

"She'll fall through the well, Inuyasha, and you'll be there to protect her in the past," Shippou's simple truth did much to soothe the hanyou's soul, but it didn't change his opinion of danger in the near future.

Ginta said, "Kagome is safe for now, but I think you'd better focus your energies on finding Kouga before the well seals. He won't touch her before then because Yalitza told him he'd probably screw up everything if he did, and Kouga wouldn't risk losing Kagome. Hakkaku and I can keep looking for stray wolves—the more the merrier, right? Maybe some of Lord Nen's people will watch out for Kouga's group. I know Yalitza was in contact with someone from the water demons."

"How much do you know of her?" asked Sesshomaru, referring to the youkai that had plagued them all for far too long.

"Not a lot, like I've already said, but, boss, I'm pretty sure she was involved in Ayame's death," said Hakkaku.

Inuyasha glared at the wolf youkai, "You think this and just saw fit to tells us now? What the hell are you thinking?"

Miyoko, who'd been listening carefully in the background, whispered, "Lies within lies from such a duplicitous creature, Inuyasha, I suggest you think long and hard about the information you shared with Yalitza.

"Feh, fine, just tell me why you think she's involved with Ayame's death," growled an irritated hanyou. The conversation was long overdue, but both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had been hesitant to press the issue for fear of driving the wolves out of their little circle of allies

Hakkaku said, "Ginta found her, but Kouga wanted the details kept secret from all but the wolves. He said that one day Lady Ayame's murderer would be found, and when that happened, the only way to be sure we had the right youkai was to make certain the details of her death were known to none but the wolves and her killer."

"Will you tell us the truth?" asked Miyoko, her quiet voice was filled with hope, and Inuyasha paused to wonder why Miyoko was so interested in history she hadn't been around to see happen.

Ginta stood, looked out the nearest window and sighed, "It's my story to tell. Lady Ayame was kind to everyone in our clan, and she never had a bad word for a single living creature other than Kouga. Kouga managed to earn every harsh word she ever uttered in his direction. He'd actually tell her, right in the center of the den, that he'd never allow her a single pup of his because any heir she produced would be of so little worth it would spend its' days wishing it hadn't been born. Kouga's words hurt her so much, and she'd stay for days in their private chambers hiding her tears from the rest of pack for fear of being called weak; our kind can be cruel at times and claim it is all for the good of the tribe. You need to know this because you need to understand what happened the day Lady Ayame left—she left to find you and your brother, Lord Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha could tell from the look on his brother's face that this piece of news was entirely unexpected.

Ginta continued speaking, "Things seemed to get better for a time, but Kouga never loved her. He did begin to treat her with respect-at least for a little while, and several of us felt he was finally coming round. This must have been around one hundred and fifty years after Kagome left, and I guess we all assumed that Kouga was accepting the girl was gone for good. Everyone's lives settled into a routine, and Lady Ayame spoke of the day Kouga would finally relent and allow her a son; she was so happy I guess we all thought he was too, and then word of Inuyasha would come to us and shatter whatever brief peace Kouga formed for himself—especially when he figured out what Inuyasha had been doing all these years."

"Get to the point, Ginta," Inuyasha snapped. His head hurt, and he was tired of listening to stories and lectures when he could be out there searching for Kouga instead!

Ginta smiled sadly at the impatient half-demon and said quietly, "The day Lady Ayame was killed, she and Kouga spent the morning arguing. Kouga had been more of a bastard to her than he usually was, and she was more than happy to tell him she'd never relinquish her claim as mate because she wasn't going to allow Kouga to make Kagome's life a living hell as he'd made hers. Our leader didn't quite bargain on that from Ayame—he expected her to leave. I'm sure of it. Anyway, I believe that was Kouga's breaking point, and my mistress knew it. She ran, but before she left, she swore to me she'd go to both of you and beg for your protection. Hakkaku and I tried to calm Kouga down, but it wasn't enough because he threw us to the side and raced out of the caves. I could have sworn he took off in the opposite direction. Hakkaku thought they needed some space from each other—"

"I don't think two continents would have been enough space that day, Ginta," said Hakkaku, his voice laden with grief.

"When night fell, I was sent by Kouga to find my lady—he'd returned earlier and refused to discuss the incident. You have to understand that I thought she'd escaped already, and no one could have been prepared…," Ginta's voice choked on the words, "She was naked and hanging upside down from an ancient maple tree that towered over the river near our den. Every bone in her body was shattered, and her throat had been cut, but there was no spray from the blood. It looked like something that human serial killer, Ted Bundy, would have done. The lack of blood made no sense, and then I realized Lady Ayame was wet from head to toe—water trickled from her hair to the forest floor. She had to have been murdered in the water; it's the only way to explain the circumstances. Two days later the water youkai bitch showed up, and she and Kouga have been partners ever since. Kouga swore vengeance and publicly mourned Ayame, but I don't believe he ever felt a single moment of real grief."

Inuyasha felt sick. How long had Yalitza been planning to betray him? Hell, how long had Kouga known her and planned on betraying Ayame? Outside, the storm raged, and Inuyasha, along with the others in the room, stood speechless and unable to move.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sesshomaru sent Ginta, Hakkaku, and Miyoko to their rooms as soon as Shippou announced he must leave to meet his mate in Tokyo to watch over the shrine. Inuyasha needed a break from the constant worry, and Sesshomaru would make damn certain the hanyou relaxed if he had to beat him unconscious to make it happen. It was apparent there was far more intrigue surrounding the death of Ayame than anyone realized. Sesshomaru had always suspected Kouga had something to do with his mate's death, but even in his darkest thoughts he'd never considered the possibility that Yalitza had helped the wolf. She was petty and conniving, true, but she hadn't seemed clever enough to be capable of manipulation on such a grand scale, which meant she had fooled Sesshomaru to an extent.

"Little brother, you will join me for dinner this evening," the tai-youkai informed Inuyasha.

"We could have done this in Tokyo, Sesshomaru, you know I don't like to be away from her," groused the half-demon.

Sesshomaru said, "You needed a change of scenery, and you will dine with me-as will Miyoko. I believe I can trust Ginta and Hakkaku to see to their own entertainment."

Inuyasha chortled, "Ginta said they were heading to Gion. They've got reservations for a teahouse or theater, something like that, anyway, I doubt we'll see them anytime soon. Apparently, Hakkaku has a thing for history and never had the chance to see the geisha district-he wants to photograph some of the shrines there too."

"Perhaps our wolf wishes to be the next Ansel Adams," said Sesshomaru thoughtfully.

"I don't know about that, but Hakkaku's got some good shots he took of the Tokyo skyline."

Smiling, Sesshomaru said, "I'd like to see his work—why don't you go change for dinner, and I'll telephone the priestess." Distracting Inuyasha from his worries was proving a far easier task than Sesshomaru had thought, which meant Inuyasha was most likely going along with him for the sake of appearance.

The hanyou went to his side of the suite, and Sesshomaru called Miyoko. He'd been worried about her ever since they'd eaten earlier; the young woman had barely touched her meal, and Sesshomaru didn't like the painful looking circles under her eyes. Anyone with eyes could see she hadn't slept properly, and she continued to refuse discussing her plans to destroy the shikon no tama. While he admired her determination to research the matter thoroughly, the tai-youkai was rather angry with the young woman for neglecting her own needs. Humans could be so foolish sometimes, driving themselves into a frenzy to find answers, pushing their bodies past the point of exhaustion and finally falling apart when the insanity could've been avoided if they were simply a little more prepared.

When Miyoko answered her phone, Sesshomaru stated brusquely, "You will come to dinner with us this evening, and you will eat an entire meal without argument. Do you understand?"

He heard the woman's sharp intake of breath before she said angrily, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Sesshomaru said, satisfied she would come, "be ready in fifteen minutes, and no is not an option. You have not eaten or slept properly in weeks, and I will not allow you to bring harm to yourself."

"I've been busy, _Lord _Sesshomaru, and you have no right to order me about—"

"We need you, Kagome needs you, and you have not been yourself," Sesshomaru softened his tone and continued speaking words he'd wanted to say several times over since getting to know the young woman, "Miyoko, I need you." He had decided a few days ago that he would finally tell her but hadn't expected to do so via phone. Oh well, if she would have him, so be it, but he would not let fear of rejection or shadows from the past keep him from living his own life.

There was silence at the other end of the phone, but Miyoko finally answered, "I'll see you at dinner." Sesshomaru placed the phone in its' cradle and smiled, pleased with the outcome of his conversation and oblivious to the fact that Inuyasha was standing behind him.

"HAH!" Inuyasha shouted, "I KNEW IT! You're in love with that human!" Sesshomaru glared at his younger brother, and he was torn between kicking and laughing at the immature hanyou's idiotic dance of triumph around the room.

"Hold your tongue, fool, it is merely a date, to use the human vernacular."

Laughing manically, Inuyasha said, "Yeah, but it's with the old hag!"

Sesshomaru growled and stalked off to change for dinner, listening to the childish singsong voice of his brother tease him relentlessly.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Dinner had gone well, and as soon as Sesshomaru made sure his brother, drunk on copious amounts of junmai-shu, found his way to the bed without falling, the tai-youkai returned to the sitting area of his suite where Miyoko waited quietly. She and Inuyasha had joked easily with one another over dinner, and Sesshomaru felt a twinge of jealousy that each had known one another better than he'd known either of them five years ago. Their banter had been easy, familiar and rather like listening to siblings who'd grown into adulthood with an easy-going friendship.

"How is he?" asked the priestess, interrupting the dog demon's thoughts.

"Unconscious," replied Sesshomaru, "and he will hate himself and me in the morning."

Miyoko laughed lightly, "At least you didn't drop him on the floor."

"Don't think for a moment that I wasn't tempted," said Sesshomaru, enjoying the relaxed mood between them, "and did you enjoy yourself?"

"Yes, thank you, Lord Sesshomaru, dinner was lovely," Miyoko bowed her head slightly, exposing the back of her neck as her hair tumbled over her shoulders. For a brief moment, Sesshomaru caught the scent of summer, and he was transported back to a time when the world was simpler, more open, and sometimes one could walk for days and see nothing but fields of wildflowers and tall grasses blowing in gentle breezes.

"_You_ are lovely," he whispered, and the priestess looked up at him sharply.

Her eyebrows, raised in curiosity, etched a puzzled look into her features, "I am plain, old one, but I thank you for being kind."

She thought she was plain! Impossible, thought Sesshomaru, staring at the young woman in front of him. True, her manner of dress was simple, but it only added to her quiet elegance and grace. Her hair was thick, a lustrous deep brown that reflected the most beautiful auburn highlights when she stood in the sun, and the woman standing in front of him was graced with vividly dark eyes, high cheek bones and full lips. He leaned toward her, savoring the look in her dancing eyes and quizzical smile, and kissed her almost reverently. There was a shyness about her, and Sesshomaru didn't want to press his luck by intimidating her, but he couldn't help but gently taste her, memorizing each detail until she broke away. He said, "You are beautiful, and you need some rest. I'll escort you to your room." A comfortable silence fell between them as they walked, and Sesshomaru grinned when he felt her small hand slip into his as they strolled through the halls.

April 7, 1996

Higurashi Shrine

Inuyasha hid as close to the old to the well as he could get without alerting Kagome or her family, but staying in the shadows had been so hard, especially when he was this close to finally seeing the girl again. A small "meow" interrupted his thoughts, and Inuyasha looked down to see Buyo, Kagome's cat, twining around his legs, "Get outta here, hairball! If Kagome catches you with me it's all over-probably for both of us! You're supposed to be in there!" He picked the cat up and tossed it into the darkened well-house.

"Buyo," a voice called, startling the hanyou and forcing him to retreat further into the shadows, "Buyo, what are you doing in there?"

It was Souta, and the boy had seen the cat enter the well. Tingles raced up Inuyasha's spine then settled in the pit of his stomach; he remembered everything Kagome had ever told him, including the vivid details she shared on her first visit to the past, and then Inuyasha saw her. She seemed smaller than he remembered, far more fragile, but there she stood in her school uniform, books tucked neatly under her arm and a smile filled with curiosity gracing her face.

"Huh? Souta?" said Kagome.

"Sis," answered the boy.

"Souta, you shouldn't play here—"

"But Buyo is—,"

"Inside the well?" asked Kagome. She sounded worried to Inuyasha, and he remembered just how much the young woman had loved that ridiculous pet of hers. The cat's face could be seen for a moment, but Buyo quickly turned and ran back inside to the old well. Souta looked up at his older sister, and Inuyasha smiled when he heard them approach the Bone Eater's Well.

Souta called again, "Buyo?" and Inuyasha could hear the faint squeak that the siblings obviously heard as well, but unlike Kagome or Souta, he would have to remain where he was.

"Why don't you go down?" Kagome asked her younger brother.

"But this place feels kind of…creepy," said Souta.

Inuyasha could smell anxiety rolling off both Kagome and Souta, and he almost laughed aloud at her when she said, "What's frightening you? Aren't you a man?"

There were a few more vague scraping noises, a couple of squeaks and then a loud shuffling, and suddenly Inuyasha could see Souta's back. The boy had opted to run and hide behind his older sister; oh, this was going down as one of Inuyasha's most priceless memories.

The kid sounded downright terrified when he said, "Someone's there!"

"Well, yeah, the cat's there!" Kagome sounded like she was on the verge of being irritated or amused by the entire scenario when the scraping noise began again, and both she and Souta stood absolutely still. Inuyasha knew the noise came from inside the well because Kagome had explained it all years ago, but he had to stifle the urge to rush out of his hiding place to protect both her and her brother from what was coming. Sesshomaru had told him not to come, but something inside him wouldn't let him pass up the opportunity to see how everything began on this side of well.

When Buyo jumped out and startled Kagome into screaming, even Inuyasha jumped.

"AH! Don't scare me like that!" Souta snapped at his sister.

Kagome shook her head at the boy and scolded the cat gently as she pet Buyo until the animal fell into a steady purr, and Inuyasha felt a twinge of jealously and shame in an instant. 'I am not jealous of that stupid cat,' he thought, taking note of Souta who had suddenly gone rigid.

"Sis…," the boy whispered, "Kagome!"

Inuyasha steadied himself against the next wave of urgency he felt to rush out and help as he watched Souta scream in horror when light erupted from the doorway where Kagome had gone. He could hear her screams and knew she'd been pulled into the mystical light he remembered all too well, and as he watched, fear coursing through his veins, he could only pray everything unfolded exactly as it had in his memories. The hanyou's attention was riveted to the shocked child, Souta, but there was nothing he could do for the kid but watch him cry for help. Inuyasha left the shrine feeling completely ineffectual and absolutely guilty.


	11. Chapter 10

There's an actual author's note at the end of the chapter, and I swear it's not as wordy as the last one! D

September 1, 1996

Tokyo, Japan

Inuyasha breathed in relief as he settled on the couch, an overstuffed teal monstrosity Shippou's mate, Isabel, had chosen for him during one of her more infamous, "Let's all make Inuyasha feel better," crusades. He was never so glad to see anyone leave as when Isabel took her brood back to Canada to visit family, and how Shippou put up with the fox demoness was beyond him!

Three weeks was too long to go without sleep, and Inuyasha had nearly driven himself half-mad avoiding Kagome and his past self. Finally, he'd decided he'd better rest or risk falling over wherever he happened to be standing. Even though the hanyou had less than a year to wait, he couldn't stand to watch Kagome laugh and chatter with a younger version of his rather rude and insensitive self. He'd been mean to the girl at first. There was no denying it, trying to sugar-coat what happened would only be lying, and Sesshomaru pointed out that only people lacking in character lied. Rather than dwell, Inuyasha checked up on the Pennywhistles and Terry's grandchildren. He told Sesshomaru it was better than standing in the shadows and pining. Besides, he really had no desire to feel the effects of the subjugation beads; one 'oswari' said to a younger Inuyasha had sent him spiraling to the ground without warning, and that once was plenty, thank you. He swore to his family it would be a relief not to have to listen to himself yell, swear and complain at Kagome that all she ever did was abandon him, and he grimaced, thinking what an obnoxious bastard he'd been to her.

Looking around his living room, Inuyasha thought about changing the furniture and getting the place ready for Kagome; he intended to make the place comfortable for her. Oh, he knew her mother would refuse to let the young woman just leave home to be with him, and he wanted Kagome to finish school, go to college, whatever she wanted, but he wanted her to feel like she was welcome, truly wanted, when she was in his place. The apartment, spacious and light, had three bedrooms, two western style baths, a full kitchen that rivaled a lot of professional kitchens Inuyasha had seen, a living room, an entertainment room with a television he never used and a small office the hanyou kept as simple and understated as possible. When he gave Shippou's mate the go-ahead to decorate, he had no idea the female had a great love affair for all things tacky. He hadn't changed anything since he was rarely in the apartment, but everywhere he looked, pink neon and various shades of teal assaulted his eyes; it was nothing he'd have chosen for himself, but then what sane being would chose fluffy flamingo pink rugs? The only space he hadn't allowed Isabel to invade was his office, and when he was home, he usually retreated there and slept at his desk. He normally stayed with Sesshomaru, but since his brother had so obviously wanted time alone with Miyoko, Inuyasha decided to actually use his own place for a little while. He'd just forgotten how hideous the place was.

September 8, 1996

Higurashi Enterprises

Tokyo

Sesshomaru waited for Miyoko patiently. He'd been seeing more and more of her, and he knew the time had come to ask her to become his wife, mate or both, whichever she chose. There was a huge difference between making a commitment to someone and just seeing one another as they had been for the past few months, but the tai-youkai was ready to take more serious steps with Miyoko. If she did decide to mate with him, she would have to be formally accepted into the family and tied to their bloodline, and while time would virtually stop for her, she would have to come to terms with watching the humans she loved die and move on to the next world. Most demons never considered mating humans because asking a human to watch family and friends they loved die again and again was a lot for any creature to take.

The door to his office opened, and Miyoko stepped lightly into the room. As always, her scent enchanted him, but it was her choice of dress that never failed to catch his eye; unlike many women or female youkai, Miyoko always chose clothing that was simple. She never hid behind a riot of colors and barrage of accessories that clanked and jangled as she walked, and he was supremely grateful for that fact. Unless wearing armor or a sword, people should not clang in life. As usual, she'd opted for jeans, a black t-shirt, black leather combat boots and accented the outfit with a simple silver necklace holding a sterling pendant in the shape of tied ribbon. She wore the necklace whenever she wore her traditional miko garb, too. Sesshomaru recalled both Kikyou and Kaede wearing similar endowments made from red silk. Her feet, he noted, appeared enormous in the heavy boots, and he wondered how on earth she managed to be so light of foot while wearing steel-toed footgear.

"Combat boots again, dearest?" he inquired, curious to know what she'd been up to this morning. The boots, so out of place on the girl, were probably ten years old, but they were well maintained and quite comfortable Miyoko insisted. He only knew that if she was wearing the boots, she'd either been doing something strenuous or was planning on it in the near future.

"They serve a purpose," her answers were often infuriatingly cryptic.

"Do you care to enlighten this Sesshomaru?" he rarely referred to himself in the third person, but it never failed to amuse Miyoko and get her talking.

She smiled at him, "I found Sango's village. I know I could have just asked you or Inuyasha, but this was something I needed to do on my own. And it's taken me months! Anyway, the cave where the shikon no tama was formed is still accessible, barely, but I did manage to get through a crack even though there's been a cave-in." The priestess smiled, obviously pleased with her discovery, and Sesshomaru's temper flared.

"Why didn't you call before you left?" he asked, controlling his anger.

"It wasn't a big deal, Sesshomaru, I didn't want to bother you. Hey, at least I'm resourceful," she grinned.

"You put your life at risk without thought of those you left behind and expect to be praised!" snapped the furious tai-youkai, and he was certain the young woman had no idea just how angry he was. Anyone else, aside from Kagome or Inuyasha, would have been running the first moment his eyes narrowed.

"Oh, honestly, I'm fine! Nothing happened, Sesshomaru, I took lights, flares, and a backpack filled with provisions. I needed to see it—"

"Yet, you told no one you were going! You were lucky nothing happened, Miyoko, do have any idea how dangerous caves can be in the best of circumstances? You walked into a situation that you knew was most likely quite treacherous and didn't even stop to consider what anyone at home might think," Sesshomaru shook his head when she opened her mouth to speak, "No, it's time for you to listen, miko, you will swear to me that you will refrain from doing anything so foolish again. It's bad enough you forget to eat, sleep and go outside to breathe fresh air now and then, but this was damned stupid!"

"How dare you order me about a like an employee?" Miyoko's eyes flashed dangerously, but the tai-youkai really didn't care what the young woman had to say at the moment.

Sesshomaru smirked, "I dare nothing. I'm telling you what you'll be doing, and you will not return to this cave alone. I will see to it you have a crew of experienced excavators at your disposal, and that, my love, is the end of this madness. You could have been killed. What you did was selfish, and I am not in love with my employees as I am you. Meaning, I don't order my employees about. They're given assigned tasks and expected to earn their salaries."

Miyoko lowered her head and took a deep breath. Her braid, bound tightly with a bit of black ribbon, slipped over her left shoulder as she stared at the floor, and for a moment, Sesshomaru felt he'd been too hard on her. She'd told him she needed more information regarding the jewel, and he assumed she'd gone to the cave in hopes of finding some answers. Still, she couldn't just wander off and expect people not to worry when she finally showed up and announced she'd been exposing herself to such dangers. Experienced cavers never went alone; amateurs and studious little mikos hell-bent on saving the world certainly had no business waltzing into that sort of situation.

"Did you say you're in love with me?" her voice squeaked nervously as she asked.

'Wait? Did I say that aloud?' Sesshomaru stopped to analyze his last statement and realized no one had ever caught him so off-guard he couldn't think clearly when speaking. Miyoko did, though. She was bright, vivacious, clever, witty, beautiful and utterly confounding at times, and he said to her, "I do love you."

"You're not one for sweet talk and romance—say what comes to mind and let the chips fall," the girl joked, but he noticed she didn't tell him how she felt. Sesshomaru wondered how big a fool he'd made of himself today. Perhaps all their 'dating' amounted to what humans deemed friendship.

He turned away from her and said quietly, "I did not mean to offend you, Miyoko, my apologies. What did you find in the cave?" Stoicism had always been his way of coping over the years, and if feigning indifference to the young woman's rejection meant keeping his pride intact, so be it. His stomach lurched painfully.

When she cleared her throat to speak, Sesshomaru was half-tempted to leave without listening, but he had never been a coward, and since he'd asked her a question, it was only polite to wait for the answer. Her words, so quiet he strained to hear, nearly left him breathless with wonder, "You idiot, I love you." This was why his father had given up everything he'd known, and the tai-youkai finally understood fully. To have someone who loved him for himself was truly a gift, but to be able to return that love without considering court intrigue or family loyalty was priceless. His mother had tried to explain to him centuries ago that she'd never wanted the great dog demon and reveled in her freedom when he allowed her to break their vows, and Sesshomaru certainly hadn't understood why his mother bore no ill will for the human who took her place. Yet, he finally knew why and how it happened. His mother hadn't needed his father, and his father had needed to be needed. Inuyasha's mother had filled that void perfectly, and the young woman had obviously loved his father for who he was rather than what status he could bring her or her family. After all, Izayoi had died an outcast, and despite the many changes within the demon and human world, Miyoko would undoubtedly face a certain amount of prejudice.

Sesshomaru's instincts told him to grab Miyoko and fulfill every fantasy he'd had regarding the young woman, but first he had to make her understand what choosing him would mean. "Do you understand the ramifications of becoming entangled with me?"

Miyoko laughed softly, "You really need to work on your presentation."

"My communication skills are superior," Sesshomaru growled, "never once has a business partner or employee complained."

"I'm neither, as you already pointed out so well earlier, but you'd better explain the…uh…'ramifications', as you said."

How could this woman joke with him at a time like this, wondered the dog demon. Sesshomaru was ready to explode but forced himself to calmly explain, "Should we marry as humans, your lifeline will not be bound as family, and you will die, which will not be pleasant to bear. Still, any time with you is better than none," Miyoko started to say something, but Sesshomaru placed a finger over her lips and shook his head, "No, you must listen. If we are to become mates, you will be bound to my family, and your lifespan will no longer be determined the laws that govern humans. I will die eventually, or be destroyed before my time as Father was, but I have tens of thousands of years ahead of me. Had Ayame not lost all her blood, her wounds would have healed in time, and she'd have gone on living until this world finally dies around us. We are youkai, and our end, should we survive whatever the future holds, will not come easily. You would have to come to terms with seeing your father and mother die, as do most humans, but your siblings and their children and their children's children will die. I have seen what this has done to my brother, Miyoko, it is not an easy path to take. Inuyasha grieves when each of Kagome's incarnations descendants move on from this world."

"Would I be with you always?" asked the naïve young woman, and Sesshomaru smiled softly, pulling her against his chest.

"You would be with me for as long as you wish, and only you would be able to relinquish your claim," Sesshomaru held his breath and waited for her answer, but deep down he couldn't help but hope Miyoko would make the choice to join the inu-youkai clan formally.

"This should be difficult," she whispered, tightening her arms around him, "I would have both if it is all right with you, Sesshomaru, a wedding to celebrate with my family, and to become a part of you and yours-and you'll be a part of mine, too."

Sesshomaru asked, "Are you certain? It's old magic, and it cannot be undone even if you relinquish your claim, Miyoko, you will always be a part of me."

"Then we're in this for the long haul," Miyoko said simply, standing on her toes to kiss him softly.

Sesshomaru took the opportunity to kiss the young woman fully, delighting in her taste and scent as he pressed himself tightly against the young woman. Stroking her hair, Sesshomaru continued kissing Miyoko, working his way down her throat, pausing only to revel in the feel of her delicate hands on his back and shoulders, he had to wonder if the miko would be repulsed by the unsightly scar tissue that covered his left shoulder. If there was ever a time the tai-youkai missed his arm, this moment would be when he regretted the loss the most, and when he gently pushed Miyoko away to look at her, the brief feeling of inadequacy passed. Her eyes told him of desire and love; that was more than enough for the moment.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

September 16, 1996

Higurashi Shrine

"INUYASHA! I TOLD YOU NOT TO FOLLOW ME!" screeched the livid fifteen-year-old girl determined to hurt her companion's ears as much as possible. She was exhausted, filthy and just plain tired of being ordered about as though she'd suddenly turned into an errant toddler overnight, but that wasn't the worst of it! No, the worst possible aspect of her situation had been to come home and find her grandfather standing in front the well and telling her not to worry about school for at least three weeks because he'd told her teachers she was going to be in therapy.

'My grandfather has outdone himself this time! Now everyone at school will think I'm nuts,' she thought, turning to glare at the furious hanyou sitting on her bed, 'and all Inuyasha cares about are those stupid shards and Kikyou!' The thought of the resurrected miko was enough to make her cry again, but Kagome swore to herself she'd cried more than enough tears over that situation.

"Don't look at me that way, Kagome, you're the one who lied! You said you were going to take a bath, wench, there was nothing about coming here," Inuyasha spat at her, his words and tone accusing and angry. His ears had flattened until they were hidden in his hair, and his eyes were narrow slits of self-righteous fury.

For a moment her mood lightened. Kagome giggled and said, "I never said I was taking a bath in the village, so it's not my problem if you misunderstood. I just said bath, Inuyasha, besides you're the one who told me I smell bad. Why do you even care what I do if I smell so horrible? You call me names, tell me I'm stupid and treat me like I'm always in the way!" Instantly, Kagome's brief merriment disappeared as she thought of the cruel words he'd said to her that morning, and it wasn't her fault she smelled. Miroku was the idiot who made her fall into the fishmonger's stall, and they were all just lucky she'd only landed in the man's rubbish heap. If she'd ruined his merchandise, oh kami, that man probably would have sold them all into slavery to cover the loss. To top it all off, Kouga had shown up and 'rescued' her, which only served to infuriate Inuyasha.

"Whatever! Keh, fine, just make you sure you hurry it up because I have no intention of spending the night here, and make those fucking friends of yours leave," ordered the irate hanyou, "I can smell that damned Houjo all the way up here."

"My FRIENDS are here to see ME, and if you don't like them, just GET OUT OF MY LIFE!" The girl's voice swelled to an incredibly loud pitch, and she smirked when her companion winced. Almost instantly Kagome realized how unkind her words were and deeply regretted losing her temper, but Inuyasha leapt out her window before she had a chance to apologize. She understood why he could make her so angry or why she hated him one moment and couldn't stand the thought of being without him in the next breath, but it made her nothing but sad because she could never just say she loved him. It would have been easier if she could, but until she convinced him going off to hell wasn't something a being who claimed to have loved you should ask of you, Kagome felt she had no option but to stand back and watch the sick little play unfold. Even when she felt sorry for Kikyou's pain and hardship, she resented the other woman, and then Kagome disliked herself for her own feelings.

Sighing, the girl went downstairs to face Eri and Houjo. She just hoped the young man hadn't brought her yet another vile remedy. The last concoction left her throwing up for two days.

Outside, rain began to pelt the side of the house, and Kagome looked out the kitchen window as she listened to Eri babble endlessly over schoolwork. It had been nice of the young woman to bring it over, but Kagome doubted she'd have much time to get any of her work done given that she'd most likely be leaving again this evening to apologize to Inuyasha and somehow mend their rapidly deteriorating friendship. She'd planned on leaving as soon as she'd bathed, but her mother insisted she at least say hello.

When Houjo asked her for a date, she absentmindedly said yes, not even realizing to what she'd agreed until the boy leaned forward to kiss her cheek hesitantly and whisper, "A lot of teenagers get depressed, Kagome, just remember I'm here if you need to talk." Oh, she could just choke her grandfather! When her two friends finally left, Kagome cleaned her backpack and filled it hurriedly, praying she wasn't too late to undo the damage.

"Kagome," her mother called softly from the doorway, "is there anything I can do to help, sweetheart?"

Kagome sighed and smiled, "I don't think so, Mom, I hurt Inuyasha's feelings a lot. I think I have to fix this myself."

"You'll do what's right," her mother said, "I have faith in you."

The young woman hugged her mother, grabbed her bag and headed for the well, stopping only to wave back to her family gathered at the upstairs window. Had she turned to her left, she'd have seen the odd young man with red hair and green eyes peering at her from under the shelter of an umbrella. She might even had said he reminded her a lot of Shippou, but Kagome didn't turn and certainly didn't see him approach her family's home as she slipped into the strange timeless float she always felt after jumping into the well.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Shippou waited nervously for Mrs. Higurashi to come to the door. He still wasn't sure what he'd say, but Sesshomaru had sent him in hopes of getting of Kagome's mother on their side before Kouga ever entered the picture. Thankfully, there had been no sign of Kouga over the past few years; that didn't mean they'd let down their guard or assumed the wolf had given up his prey. According to several sources, Kouga planned on lying low until Kagome returned home for good. Shippou just hoped the son of a bitch could be killed before the young woman ever laid eyes on him, silencing the bastard would be easier for them all since Kagome Higurashi, well known for her soft-heartedness, would undoubtedly assume there'd been a huge misunderstanding and try to fix the problem with quiet words and sweet smiles. Shippou shook his head in disgust. He loved the girl, really, but even when he was a kit he'd recognized Kouga for the conniving prick he was.

The front door opened and Souta Higurashi looked up at Shippou and exclaimed, "WHOA! You're really tall!"

"Souta," scolded a woman's voice from somewhere behind the child, "don't be so rude!"

The kitsune grinned and shook his head a little as he asked, "May I speak with Mrs. Kimiko Higurashi?" Shippou had yet to meet Kagome's mother, but his nephew, Dai, spoke fondly of the woman and continued to visit her family whenever he had the chance, which was fairly often since Shippou made certain Dai was assigned to his personal security team in Tokyo. Shippou's people were the best in their field, using skill, intelligence and even trickery to the best advantage in any situation.

"MOM! IT'S FOR YOU!" Souta screeched.

An older, tired looking, though quite lovely, version of Kagome appeared beside her son and said, "Honestly, Souta, you're as bad as Inuyasha!" She turned to face Shippou and continued speaking, "Please forgive us, sir, we don't normally greet visitors so loudly, but if you're here to visit the shrine, I'm afraid you'll have to speak with my father-in-law."

"Forgive me, Mrs. Higurashi, I don't mean to intrude, but I'm actually here to speak to you," and this was where everything could go very wrong, "it's about Kagome."

"Is my daughter in trouble with the school?" Shippou could smell the fear that spiked around the woman, and her son glared at him in a rather Kagome-like fashion.

The school? It took Shippou a moment to realize why the woman would have asked about the school; since he'd been a child when he last saw Kagome, he hadn't really given the girl's education much thought. "No, of course not!" insisted the youkai, attempting to be as reassuring as possible, "please, we need to speak alone."

Looking at her son, as though measuring all her options, Kimiko Higurashi said to Souta, "Go help your grandfather in the shrine, but be back here in twenty minutes—no more, no less, Souta."

"But, Mom," the boy started to argue.

Glancing at Shippou, Kimiko shook her head and cut off her son's protests with a quiet but meaningful, "Go, now!"

"Would you be more comfortable speaking outside, Mrs. Higurashi?" asked the youkai, determined to show the woman in front of him he meant no harm.

"It's fine. Please, come inside and be seated, but I'm afraid you're at an advantage. I don't know your name, sir," said Kimiko.

"Most people call me Sean Higurashi, but your daughter called me Shippou," if Sesshomaru was right, the only way to get this woman on their side was to tell the truth.

Her face paled, and Shippou knew he'd shocked her, but, to her credit, she wasn't running in fear or screaming for her father-in-law and son to come save her. Instead she asked, "Youkai? How is this possible?"

It took him five minutes to outline the story, including all the basics about 'Ian and Ryan Higurashi', three more to explain why Inuyasha hadn't come to speak to her, and about ten seconds to convince her that Kouga would eventually come and was very dangerous. After that, he used the rest of his time to reassure her that Inuyasha would be there the day the well closed, and that everyone would see to it Kagome came to no harm.

"Mrs. Higurashi, my nephew will be here the day before the well is supposed to seal. You already know Dai, but he's one Miroku's descendents and is very capable when it comes to sutras and wards. Will you allow him to put wards around the shrine?"

"Dai is your nephew? How?" asked Kimiko, ignoring Shippou's question.

"Not by blood," Shippou smiled, "Dai is as human as you, but he's as much a part of my family as Sango and Miroku were…like Inuyasha, I am tied to the past. Your daughter kept us all together, Mrs. Higurashi, but she also gave us the strength to endure our lives when she left us."

"This is very confusing," said the woman, "Do you know how often the Higurashi brothers have been featured in the society pages? I can't count how many times I've seen them, and Inuyasha's been right in front of us all this time!"

"You weren't looking for him, and Sesshomaru always says it's best to 'hide in the open', so what better name to choose than Higurashi? I have to go for now, but we'll be in touch. Inuyasha will come when it's time. He can't risk running into Kagome or himself," Shippou said.

"What do I tell Kagome?" Kimiko asked.

"Nothing," answered Shippou, "just watch over her. I'll send Dai over this week…think of it as a spiritual alarm system. I'm afraid it won't keep youkai out, but you'll know when they're coming. Sesshomaru thinks Kouga will try to get to Kagome through you—if we see any signs of that happening, we'll make arrangements to get you all to a safe location. Just be careful, okay?"

"I'll do what's necessary to protect my family, and let Dai know he's always welcome here. Tell Inuyasha to come see me when he can, okay?" the woman said.

Shippou nodded, knowing his adopted brother would show up only if he was certain Kagome wasn't around; for now, it was up to him, his team and even Kagome's mother to be wary. He'd hated including the woman in this, but Sesshomaru's reasoning behind it hadn't been flawed, assuming Kouga was as crazy as always, and it wasn't right to leave every member of the Higurashi family in the dark. Shippou only hoped it was enough.

Higurashi Manor

September 18, 1996

Hidden outside Tokyo

"You saw her?" asked Inuyasha, plunking himself next to Shippou on a western style contemporary leather couch that seemed entirely out of place in the ancient structure. Actually, the whole sitting room was completely at odds with the architecture of a formal Japanese home that was far older than Inuyasha, but Sesshomaru had had the place modernized years ago. While a few rooms were traditionally decorated for the sake of nostalgia, most of the house had been westernized when Sesshomaru decided that western beds, chairs and couches were just more comfortable for someone of his stature. Inuyasha certainly wasn't about to argue. They rarely used the old estate, but the hanyou was more than happy to be able to live comfortably while there. Hell, his own flat has been redecorated in contemporary furnishings that resembled the old house furnishings greatly, no more pink and teal nightmares for him!

"Yeah, she's fine, a little upset that she hurt your feelings, but we already know you got over it," said Shippou.

Inuyasha had just arrived home after two weeks in London to check on the Pennywhistles, and he quickly demanded to be filled in on everything he'd missed while away, but for the life of him he couldn't remember what Kagome could have said back then that would have made him run away from her to sulk. As he pondered the situation, Sesshomaru interrupted his thoughts and said, "Doubtless you have no memory of the incident because similar things happened so often, and as I recall, you did once tell me that you and Kagome fought incessantly for a short time after meeting the wolf."

"Oh yeah! I remember, that bastard Houjo was sneaking around her house again, and she stunk like fish and Kouga! It was horrible," Inuyasha laughed at the memory, "She sure was pissed at me that day."

Miyoko walked into the room and asked, "Did you actually tell a teenage girl you thought she smelled? No wonder Kagome got so mad at you all the time!"

Sesshomaru held out his hand to the miko and said, "Happy memories aside, little brother, I am glad you are home. Miyoko and I have been waiting for your return to make the official announcement. We will have a human wedding in two days time, and that evening you will preside over the acceptance ceremony when Miyoko becomes a member of our family."

"I don't know anything about that shit, Sesshomaru," protested Inuyasha.

"Then it is time you learned," said the tai-youkai as he pointed to a pile of ancient scrolls on the coffee table in front of them, "I will do this for you when the time comes, Inuyasha, if Kagome chooses."

Inuyasha sighed in defeat and picked up the first scroll on the pile. He'd never been a fan of high ceremony or rituals, but he wouldn't let his brother down when it came to this situation. He had no desire to see Sesshomaru's mate die in fifty years and listen to the old bastard bemoan the loss of the woman for an eternity, plus, Miyoko was a pretty good match for his older brother. She was stubborn, clever and better at keeping to herself than even Sesshomaru, something that infuriated the dog demon to no end. Apparently, she'd been at those old caves again; Shippou said they'd fought for two days straight, neither relenting until Miyoko said, "Jaken went with me, okay? He's annoying, but he's got a keen sense for impending danger, and you and I both know it. Besides, he only wants to see you happy, and you know he'd never let anything happen to me."

After telling the story, Shippou had grinned and said Sesshomaru nearly tore Jaken in half when he realized the little kappa wasn't about to betray Miyoko by telling him exactly what the miko had been doing in the caves, but Shippou also swore it must have been a pretty big deal because Jaken seemed, well, scared.

While this probably wasn't the best time to behave like himself, Inuyasha wasn't one to care about stuffy traditions, "Well, hag, I guess it means welcome to the family, so what about the cave aren't you telling us?"

Both Sesshomaru and Miyoko turned to face the hanyou, and Inuyasha wasn't sure whose expression was angrier; he grinned at them and kissed his future sister's cheek as he said, "I think you're good for him."

The miko relaxed, smiling lightly and hugged Inuyasha, "Thank you, and I think it's time we all talked."

Inuyasha looked at his brother who mouthed the words, 'How do you do that?' but all he could do was shrug in response. He knew his elder brother had been trying to get Miyoko to share her research and findings for months, but the miko had been cryptic whenever the subject of Midoriko or the cave was broached. Knowing his elder brother had visited the site and even been allowed entrance by the captive soul of the ancient priestess, Inuyasha had frankly been surprised Miyoko was so unwilling to share her findings. He suspected whatever the young woman was planning was exceedingly dangerous, and if she was about to put her life at risk, there was no way Sesshomaru would allow it.

"So spill, wench," Inuyasha said.

"Midoriko is alive, still fighting, but you knew that," said the miko. Her eyes had a distant look that meant she was obviously contemplating exactly how to say what she was thinking; Sesshomaru held her hand, and Inuyasha thought his brother was trying to be supportive while keeping an open mind. The tai-youkai must have had his suspicions, Inuyasha assumed.

"I want to release her and the demons in the cave…Midoriko must be put to rest, and we'll have to destroy the demons. We'll need the shikon no tama and Kagome. My powers alone aren't enough," said Miyoko, and of all the things she could have possibly said, Inuyasha had never quite imagined this statement. Sesshomaru must have been just as surprised, for the older demon growled furiously and shook his head adamantly to indicate his displeasure.

Anxiety hit Inuyasha squarely in the stomach, as he bellowed, "NO! You're not using Kagome like this!"

"Inuyasha," she said, "just listen—"

"Hell no, woman, you just find another way to get rid of that damn jewel because I haven't waited five hundred years to watch the one person who gave a rat's ass about me when no one else did die in some stupid attempt to unleash a dead priestess and kami knows how many demons on the world!"

Turning to his brother he hissed, "Congratulations, Sesshomaru, you managed to pick out someone crazier than that bitch Kagura!"

"ENOUGH!" shouted an irate Shippou, "Apologize to Sesshomaru and Miyoko right now, and then we can talk about this calmly—don't you look at me like that, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha continued to scowl at Shippou but begrudgingly mumbled, "Feh, sorry, you'd better get this over with before I rip out your entrails and wrap them around Sesshomaru's throat, hag."

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru growled, "do not threaten my mate, or me."

"She ain't your mate yet," he said, snidely.

"Nevertheless, little brother, she will be, and you've had a long time to learn how to control your temper. I swear to you—I will not let harm come to Kagome," Inuyasha could hear the sympathy and sincerity in his older brother's voice.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, the hanyou's face softened as he looked at Sesshomaru, "I'm sorry, both of you, I'd never hurt you or my brother."

"There's nothing to forgive," Miyoko said, smiling gently, "I'm sorry I gave you the impression that Kagome is disposable, but I want you to realize how far Kagome will come by the time the well closes. How far you and Sesshomaru have already come, please, just think about it."

Shippou said, "None of this will even matter unless we deal with Kouga and Yalitza."

"True," Sesshomaru said, "but Ginta tells me the old wolf tribe has been scattered, and Kouga is, according to our sources, hiding somewhere alone with the demoness in Mexico. That aside, I have good news. Nen has been accepted as leader in the waters. He has sent us the necessary water charms to hide our scent; we are finally on equal footing."

**A/N: **I want to thank everyone who's taken the time to review and stick with this story, especially Metsukikaraten who recommended it to Anterrian (y'all are cool and go read Finding Kagome, shoo, go do that!); I know I am slow to update, so I'm really grateful to everyone who reads. For those interested, you're welcome to remind me I'm slow about updates in my livejournal, taraspikefan, if you're so inclined. If you happen to have LJ, feel free to friend me because that's where I'll post update news first, but do know that I like to rant in my LJ a lot-oh, do I like to rant. In fact, the past few weeks have found me losing my cool over Jack Thompson and his idiocy when it comes to video games, yes, yes, I'm an avid gamer. In fact, this last Inuyasha game release wasn't dreadful, as I feared it would be-nice surprise. Oh, and _Death Note_ and _Jigoku Shoujo_ are my latest obsessions. I wonder if there's a 12-step program for anime junkies?


	12. Chapter 11

AN: Yes, I know, an update. Sorry it's been so long, and I won't make too many excuses-just know I haven't forgotten the story or those of you are kind enough to read. I'll make this brief and remind everyone it's rated **M** for a reason. This chapter is a bit shorter than normal, but I swear there's a reason. XD

Higurashi Manor

September 20, 1996

Moonlight streamed from behind stray clouds, cascading and tumbling through the sizeable open window and landed on the shapely legs of Miyoko, whom Sesshomaru watched intently. She slept like a child; her legs tangled in the sheets as she tossed and turned, moving across the bed as though she must explore each inch of the mattress in her sleep before her body would allow rest to overtake her. Watching Rin sleep when she was a little girl had been a similar experience, Sesshomaru mused, smiling softly at his new wife, mate, lover and, perhaps most importantly, dearest friend.

Thankfully, the waiting had ended, and they'd been married that afternoon surrounded by Miyoko's family, which included her parents, three aging aunts, ten cousins and quite a few babies belonging to the eldest of her cousins. Her grandfather, her only remaining grandparent, had spent most of his time telling Sesshomaru exactly what would happen if he ever hurt Miyoko, and the tai-youkai had to admit he liked the old man when he whispered, "I know what you are, youkai, harm my granddaughter and I'll see to it you're purified inch by inch! Congratulations, and welcome to the family," every word the man said had been heartfelt, including the generous welcome to his family. Humans were such an amusing puzzle.

After a light supper, Sesshomaru, Miyoko, Inuyasha and Shippou retreated to the confines of the country estate where Inuyasha performed his duty by acting as conduit to their ancestors. The ceremony, similar to the acceptance of Shippou as a brother centuries before, was bloodless, much to Miyoko's surprise. Sesshomaru had told her, "We are inu-youkai, love, not vampire. You know, not every ancient magic ends in blood loss."

Once Inuyasha had spoken the formal words of acceptance, Sesshomaru could swear he felt the spirits of tai-youkai past breathe a sigh of a relief, as though they were simply pleased he was finally happy. The hanyou bound their hands together with crimson silk cord, smiled and said, "Two are now one," and Miyoko had gasped when wind rushed through the entire mansion and wrapped both her and Sesshomaru in a swirl of pale light. The tai-youkai looked into his mate's eyes and smiled broadly; it was done and she'd become a part of him and his family. He couldn't help but kiss her deeply, memorizing every moment, and even he laughed when Shippou and Inuyasha began cheering and clapping madly. He'd grinned at the younger demons and lifted his bride to carry her upstairs to his room, their room, and Miyoko had giggled a bit as the catcalls continued to drift upstairs; Sesshomaru did not doubt for one moment both Inuyasha and Shippou would be drunk off their asses by morning.

Again his eyes drifted from the window to Miyoko, who had once again drifted across the bed and curled her legs loosely in the messy bed linens. Her exhaustion stemmed from a long day of celebrating, ceremonies and lovemaking. They'd taken their time getting to know one another's bodies, likes, dislikes and reactions to each soft and firm caress. Sesshomaru loved the graceful and delicate curve of his mate's nude back, and the way her hair always swept over her shoulders, tumbling to cover her pale breasts whenever she leaned toward him; he'd been delighted to discover Miyoko was a calm lover. Her soft mewls and quiet moans were nothing short of exhilarating and were for his ears alone. It seemed they made love for hours, and when they finally climaxed together, Sesshomaru had held Miyoko's svelte body to his and gently rocked her to sleep as he luxuriated in the feel of her warm skin. It hadn't taken long for her to fall into a content, though active, slumber, and rather than suffer another smack in the head, the tai-youkai had smiled and crept to a nearby chair where he now sat watching Miyoko sleep peacefully in her night-travels. She was beautiful, quirky, intelligent and, most importantly, his.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

White lights exploded behind Inuyasha's eyelids, and he groaned when he heard his brother shout a horribly planned and terribly loud, "GOOD MORNING, LITTLE BROTHERS!" Inuyasha's hangover pains increased tenfold; when Shippou screeched in pain, the hanyou could swear he felt his brain rattle about his head and squeal for mercy.

"MASTER INUYASHA!" Oh, not him, Inuyasha thought, anything but him this early in the morning. "Your father would be so ashamed of you right now! And SHIPPOU! What do think Kagome would say?"

"Myoga, yell again and I swear I'll run you through a coffee grinder," growled the angry half-demon.

"Is that any way to speak to your elders, Master?" the little flea demanded, haughtily.

Sesshomaru laughed and said, "Get up! I can't believe you idiots slept on the kitchen floor."

"Oh, kami," moaned Shippou, "I need to shower." The youngest of the youkai struggled to his feet and stumbled out of the kitchen, cursing and swearing over stupid loud dogs and their annoying parasites.

"How much did you drink?" asked Sesshomaru, softly.

"I had six? Maybe seven?" replied Inuyasha.

"Seven glasses of champagne leaves you blind drunk and drooling on the floor?" Myoga's voice sounded surprised.

"Seven cases, Myoga, and Shippou probably drank ten. I lost count after midnight."

"It's no wonder you smell like a dying goat. Miyoko is still resting, and I'd rather my mate not stumble over you fools when she comes down for breakfast. Besides, Myoga says he has news of Kouga, and I'd prefer he relay the information when we're all assembled and half-coherent. Bathe and dress while I make breakfast and coffee," ordered Sesshomaru.

"Keh, sorry about the mess, Sesshomaru," and Inuyasha was sorry. Neither he nor Shippou had planned a bender, but after Sesshomaru had taken Miyoko upstairs, Inuyasha found himself reminiscing over old times. By the time all was said and done, he vaguely recalled wandering outside to the courtyard and singing Irish drinking songs with Shippou in honor of Sango and Miroku, which was just beyond the hanyou since neither of his friends had even known about Ireland.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Clean, dressed, well fed and filled to the brim with steaming coffee, Inuyasha felt ready to face whatever challenge might come his way. As he'd watched Miyoko sit on his brother's lap, he suffered a pang of jealousy and wished Kagome could be with him. In a few months, his past self would help kill Naraku, and Kagome would finally come home to him for good. Yes, it was far better to contemplate the future than envy his brother.

"So flea," the hanyou spoke gruffly, "what's so damned important you had to rush all the way here from North America? You know the humans invented these crazy devices we call phones."

"Be quiet, Master Inuyasha, did it ever occur to you that an old flea might be missing you, pup? And you're so bad natured about all of it! I knew I should have stayed in North America with Totosai!" The little demon gave Inuyasha a look of righteous indignation.

"Myoga, please tell us what's happened," Shippou requested, doing his best to derail any potential arguments by being as polite as he could.

Myoga smiled at the fox youkai, "Kagome is surely to be surprised by you, young sir, you're not a child anymore…I suppose I should thank you for getting us back on track, too. Kouga is most certainly in Mexico with Yalitza, but there are no other wolves or water youkai with them. They have been abandoned, my lords, this may be your best opportunity to kill them before Kagome comes home for good."

Inuyasha grinned, his fangs glistened in the gleaming kitchen light, as he said, "I was ready to kill that bastard five hundred years ago!"

"Then we leave for Mexico tonight," Sesshomaru said.

"No! You stay here with your mate and enjoy the quiet time," Inuyasha smiled, "I can do this one on my own."

Miyoko spoke up quickly, "I want to go, Inuyasha, Sesshomaru promised to show that part of the world." The young woman glanced toward her mate who smiled and nodded his head slightly.

"Fine, it's settled, little brother, we're finally going to see more of Mexico. Shippou, I hope your Spanish is up to par."

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Banda, Mexico

Yalitza stared at the sea and watched the sun set on the horizon. The brilliant oranges and reds reflected in her companion's eyes, and a part of her almost wished she'd stayed in the waters rather than taken the damn wolf up on his offer of help. She hated Kouga. Like Inuyasha, her beautiful Inuyasha, the wolf spoke of nothing but Kagome, and Yalitza couldn't understand how one mortal girl could inspire such complete devotion, or obsession in Kouga's case. Once Inuyasha was hers, he'd understand how foolish he'd been, and Kouga and the damned girl could take themselves to merry old hell for all she cared.

"What do you want, Kouga?" she demanded in a peevish tone.

"I've got business in Los Angeles tomorrow. I'm leaving tonight," answered the wolf. To the water demoness, his voice carried a note of nearly palatable excitement, and she wanted to be as far from him as possible while he carried out his _business_.

"Are you in need of assistance?" Yalitza knew he'd decline and was more than happy to stay where she was. Banda allowed her to be close to the water she loved with few humans or demons to disturb her peace.

"We both know the answer to your question," Kouga said, "just don't cause any trouble while I'm gone."

Yalitza laughed ruefully before saying, "I am not the one who meddles with humans."

"Shut up while you've still got a chance, Yalitza, you're no good to Inuyasha dead," warned Kouga.

"And what about your Kagome? I'm sure she'd love to know what you've been up to these past few years," the demoness mocked.

Kouga's fist moved faster than Yalitza could move, and she found herself tumbling toward the sand, her left eye throbbing, barely able to cushion her fall. Within a moment's time, he had her pinned, and she shuddered as his hot breath filled her ear, "Would you rather I use you, bitch?" His dark chuckle left the water youkai no doubt. He would use her and rip her apart as he had all those pretty little human girls, and when he was done with her, he'd probably piss on her corpse.

"Get out of here!" she growled, doing her best to sound stronger than she felt.

"That's what I thought, wench," Kouga released her and sprang backwards, leaving her gasping for air while he laughed maniacally.

He turned and ran while shouting, "Don't forget, Yalitza, be good girl while I'm gone, and just think of your fucking mutt. You'll be with him soon enough!"

The demoness turned over and stared into the clear sky. Tomorrow night a young girl, bought from goddess only knew where, would die screaming and crying for her mother at the wolf's hands in sunny Los Angeles. Yalitza had been forced to watch only once, but once had been more than enough to make her feel almost sorry for Kagome Higurashi. Almost.


	13. Chapter 12

AN: To answer a couple of questions, though not all because it would spoil the story, when I started writing this fic, Sesshou

AN: To answer a couple of questions, though not all because it would spoil the story, when I started writing this fic, Sesshoumaru still had one arm in the manga. Rather than go back and rewrite previous chapters months later, I chose to leave him with one because it never hindered him. The character has always been strong and vital no matter his predicament, and I just hope I can do Takahashi-san's creation even a little bit of justice. As for other questions regarding Kouga, I always do an outline of a project and write the last chapter before I start the bulk of a story. I'm not certain when the habit began, but keeping the end in sight helps me stay on track, and Kouga, at least in my mind for this story, was always psychopathic. No, I won't tell you how it ends. D Don't ask.

**WARNING:** Okay, I lied. I am going to warn you all again-this fic might be a bit disturbing to some. Don't read this if you find graphic violence and adult sexual situations disturbing.

Los Angeles, California

September 21, 1996

Kittenish mewls punctuated the overwhelming silence as Kouga admired the scene before him; the room was perfect, just as he'd ordered. Candles illuminated the lone chair in which he sat and the large bed behind him was more than sufficient. He required nothing other than a mattress, ropes, a gag and several cans of accelerant he'd use to burn his sins to ashes when he'd finished. The girl he'd call Kagome tonight couldn't have been a better specimen. She was probably two inches taller than the real Kagome Higurashi, but her face was eerily similar to the young woman he'd wanted for so many centuries. Her hair, charcoal black, glowed in the dim candlelight, coaxing a grin from the wolf youkai, and her scent was laced with roses and the heady tang of fear. She really was quite the vision in the green and white school uniform her handlers had provided, not that she'd need it for long. Unfortunately for her, Kouga had paid for her in full, and the girl had no idea how many other young women of Japanese descent he'd objected to before he saw her sweet face. Had he not been in love with Kagome, he might have considered this young woman a fine addition to the pack he was determined to eventually establish. His former pack had scattered, abandoning him after they'd begun to suspect Ayame's death wasn't an accident.

"Shhh," he whispered, trying to soothe the girl; he found part of the fun was holding out a bit of hope to the girls before he raped and killed them, "Everything will be fine, sweetheart," lied the wolf demon.

Kouga's attempt to silence the young woman was met with terrified shaking, pathetic sobs, streaming tears and the sour scent of sweat, but half the fun was the terror and anxiety he inspired. In his mind, he could see Kagome on her knees, naked and opened wide for him only, begging his forgiveness for all the times she'd refused him and gone right back to that fucking mutt. It would be a pleasure to train his woman. In the meantime, burning off a little excess energy wasn't going to hurt him, and what Kagome didn't know wouldn't bother her.

"I-I-I…want to g-g-go go home," the girl whimpered, and Kouga smiled maliciously.

Grabbing the girls' hair and pulling her head back, Kouga leaned down and kissed her roughly, forcing his tongue in her mouth to taste the fear her body couldn't contain, "Should have thought of that before, wench, you were dead as soon as you ran away from home. Say another word about it, and I'll slice your skin off in one-inch strips from the toes up. Understand?"

"Y-y-y-yes," stammered the doe-eyed beauty.

The girl, Marnie he thought she'd been called, turned a sickly pale, and Kouga let go of her hair and slapped her viciously, grinning like a child with a new toy. His smile was a twisted parody of benevolence as he said, "Good girl, Kagome."

No further conversation occurred, but Kouga reveled each time he forced a scream from the young woman and imagined Kagome's face. While he had no intention of killing his future mate once the real Kagome was finally his, he would make her see that each time she'd defied him for the sake Inuyasha in the past earned her more than her fair share of punishment. For the moment, he'd wring every drop of pleasure he could from the girl on her knees, and when he was spent, he'd stop to linger over her corpse long enough to memorize each bruise, cut and broken bone he'd inflicted.

Pushing the girl on the mattress, Kouga sliced the school uniform from her well-endowed figure and grinned again. She really was a pretty little thing, he thought, and couldn't help but smile when she tried to crawl away from him. Oh yeah, she certainly was a lot like his Kagome. The wolf punched her in the face, enormously satisfied when the girl's nose broke, but at least she'd gotten the message. He leaned over, gently nipping her chin, moving downward, murmuring promises of hope until he reached her bare breasts. Despite the pain the girl must have been in, Kouga was pleased to see her nipples harden when he began lapping at one. She even moaned in pleasure as she sobbed in terror, perfect, he decided. He could her feel writhing under him, and he almost laughed aloud when he thought of what would come next. As the girl relaxed, finding a rhythm in the horrible pleasure he forced on her, Kouga bit down as hard he could. The teenager's screams were music to his ears he lapped greedily at the blood streaming from her breast.

The night belonged to Kouga now.

Banda, Mexico

Inuyasha took a deep breath and turned to his elder brother, "We're being watched."

"Nen and his people. Shippou," said Sesshoumaru so quietly even Inuyasha struggled to hear him, "head south down the beach and apprise Lord Nen of our situation. If the demoness is captured, he has first rights to decide her fate, though I suspect it was decided long ago."

"Sure thing," the fox youkai turned and disappeared before Inuyasha could blink.

"I'm going to bring her out," Inuyasha said, "she'll come with me. I know it."

"Probably, but will she stay for you? She is anything but stupid, Inuyasha, she knows you would not venture near her alone or without a plan."

"Heh, give the demoness her dues, I suppose. You know, you've mellowed over the years," stated Inuyasha, his voice earnest and quiet.

Sesshoumaru raised one eyebrow and said, "And you, brother, have matured. Are you ready?"

"Now or never," Inuyasha grinned and leapt toward the caves where he knew Yalitza was hiding. He didn't stop to look back at Sesshoumaru, but if he had, he would have seen the pride and love his elder brother felt for him.

Entering the cave, the hanyou was greeted, "Back so soon? And I was so sure you'd keep the little wench alive more than a few hours, Kouga."

"What wench?" Inuyasha demanded harshly, and Yalitza turned to face him, her eyes betraying the shock Inuyasha was unable to smell on her.

"Inuyasha?" Yalitza's voice was breathy, and she sounded weak to the half-demon, "You came to me…"

Snorting in disgust, Inuyasha growled low in his throat when the demoness raised her arms, as though she expected him to welcome her embrace. She'd changed since he'd last seen her; she appeared half-mad in the dim light she'd procured for her foul den, and it was obvious she and Kouga weren't particularly concerned with cleanliness. While he could smell neither demon's scent because of Yalitza's charms, the pungent smell of rotted food, unwashed linens and the faint trace of death in the air was enough to make Inuyasha nauseous.

The hanyou snarled, "I ain't here because I want to be, trust me! Where's Kouga?"

The demoness stiffened and took a step backwards, feigning to her left, as though she were trying to escape, but Inuyasha was too quick for her. As she sprang forward, claws extended, Inuyasha slipped into fighting stance and dodged forward forcing Yalitza stumbled past him. He reached back and grabbed a fistful of her hair, swung the female around and slammed her into the nearby rock wall. She'd have one hell of a headache upon waking, but the hanyou didn't give a damn. The bitch was insane, but he wanted answers and needed her for the moment. Plus, she was technically Nen's unless Nen said otherwise; she'd betrayed her kingdom, had no honor and was finally about to face a little justice. Inuyasha hoisted her over his shoulder, as though she were a sack of dirty laundry, and exited the cave.

Nen stood and watched as the dog demon carried the woman he'd once loved out of her cave, and for a brief moment he felt an urge to take Yalitza back in his arms and pretend nothing had happened. Unconscious she seemed fragile, but Nen knew otherwise. Oh, he'd considered forcing her to be his for the sake of the kingdom, which would have been an acceptable alternative the judgment passed down by the courts of the tribe, but given her treachery, he knew the second he turned his back on her she'd be there to murder him, probably in his sleep. Besides, he refused to be saddled with a female who felt nothing for him but hatred and contempt, not that he felt any differently for her. No, his decision was easy to make. He would follow through as was expected.

"Bind her," said the water youkai to his attendants, "this will not take long." The males surrounding him bowed and secured the demoness. When it was done, Nen looked at the female youkai and shook his head in disgust. She'd had everything from her father's love and respect, a man who'd adored her and the loyalty of her people, but she'd thrown it all away in favor of forcing herself on another who did not want her.

She slowly came around, suddenly realizing who was standing over her, and she grinned maliciously at the youkai who would have given her anything she desired at one time, "Let me guess, you're going to tell what a bad girl I am?"

It was Sesshoumaru who spoke first and said, "Tell of us the woman Kouga intends to harm."

Yalitza laughed at the tai-youkai and told him, "I don't give a damn what Kouga does to some inconsequential slut. Go to hell."

The interrogation continued, but as Nen expected, Yalitza refused to answer any of their questions, though she did tell the tai-youkai to check the missing persons reports around the world and he might find a surprise. The water youkai had no idea what it meant and wondered if Yalitza was merely ranting madly. She finally laughed and said, "Will you let the dogs torture me?"

Ignoring her insanity, Nen told her, "Yalitza, you have been judged a traitor to your people, but I will spare you the humiliation of dying before them," Nen announced, "Those who stand before me are asked to bear witness to the sentence as demanded by our people. You are to be formally executed, but you will be allowed your final words."

All of the youkai present could see the horror dawning on Yalitza as she realized what was being said to her; Nen wondered briefly if the foolish creature had expected to be taken home as a prisoner and allowed to live out her days in peace. "Nen! NO! Please, don't," Yalitza begged, "I'll do anything you wish, but not this."

Nen ignored her protests and said, "My Lords Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha, will you bear witness?"

Both dog demons nodded and Sesshoumaru said, "We stand in lieu of the tribe as formal witness."

Nen produced two sand dollars and handed one to each of the inu-youkai before him.

Sesshoumaru noticed as soon as his hand touched the delicate, flat, shell-like material, his personal mark, a crescent moon, glowed brilliantly on the surface. On Inuyasha's shell a beautifully intricate and fragile impression of the goshinboku appeared.

Nen bowed and took the sand dollars again. As he handed them off to his personal attendant he said, "The witnesses have been found worthy."

"STOP THIS MADNESS, NEN! NOW!" Yalitza screamed frantically, struggling ineffectually.

Turning to her, the new lord of the waters said, "Do you have anything to say?"

"Please, Yalitza," Inuyasha said, "Who is Kouga going to kill?"

He'd asked her several times already, and Nen knew she would never answer. The demoness spit at them all instead.

"I am sorry, my friend, I believe we have the only response we're going to get," the water youkai's voice was tired and sad.

At this, the demoness began sobbing and raged, "I'll have my revenge on you, Nen, this is not going to happen!" She closed her mouth and refused to say anything else.

"As leader of my people, it is my responsibility to see to it the traitor dies a fitting death, but I am not immune to feelings of mercy. As such, know that this creature will not die suffering," Nen turned to the bound demoness and said, "You shall die swiftly; may the waters you rejected accept you home."

For all the formality involved, the death of Yalitza was surprisingly simple and without fanfare. Nen beheaded her quickly and held her head up for all to see before handing it off to one of his men, "See to it her body is given back to the water and seal her head for proof to the people," was all he said of the matter before turning to the inu-youkai.

"I thank you both for accepting the contract between us… Had I taken her home, she would have found sympathizers to help her escape her treachery yet again, but in my heart, I wish this had not been necessary. I bid you both the luck of calm waters and favorable winds," the water youkai didn't give anyone else a chance to speak. He was running toward the waves and headed for deep water as quickly as possible.

"She was a bitch, big brother, but maybe she could've been saved, you know?"

"Hn, perhaps," Sesshoumaru replied, his expression devoid of emotion though he continued speaking, "And perhaps, Inuyasha, knowing Kagome has made you see good in even the most wretched beings."

Los Angeles, California

September 24, 1996

Kouga was left edgy after his last kill three days ago. The girl had been most satisfying, but he had no desire to return to Mexico and deal with Yalitza's bullshit; the demoness had gotten a little pushy these days and was quick to point out how vile Kagome would find his actions. Not that it really mattered. Once mated, the miko would learn he was her protector, her lover, her life, her lord, her only hope, and even if she rejected him, he would force the matter and then punish her willfulness.

Sighing in frustration, Kouga walked along the streets called Little Tokyo by the Los Angeles natives until he found himself standing in front of the Far East Café, a landmark leftover from the late 1800's and one of the few places left in the city one could get a decently priced bowl of soba noodles. Kouga sniffed the air appreciatively when, to his surprise and joy, a teenaged girl caught his eye. She stood at the counter with her friends and said, "I know I put my money in my wallet in this morning! I'm sure of it!"

"It's okay, Kiera, I'll get it for you," one of her friend's said, but before the girl could step in and pay, Kouga moved in beside the girls and cleared his throat.

"Here," he said, smiling his most charming grin, "it's on me, ladies."

The girls giggled, music to his ears, and the one called Kiera faced him and said, "Thank you, that's really nice of you."

Kouga laughed and said, "No problem. Someone has to help out pretty girls in need," but he only had eyes for Kiera. She smiled up at him sweetly, and Kouga could smell the innocence radiating from her.

Her build was slight, and her wavy hair hung loosely about her shoulders, down to her mid-back. The girl's eyes were mesmerizing, and Kouga felt he'd fallen into heaven when she spoke. If he'd thought the girl three days ago looked like Kagome, he was wrong, so very srong. For here stood a girl who could be Kagome's twin sister. She was perfect. The right height, build, haircut, eyes, all of it, and oddly enough, she wore a green, pleated mini-skirt with a white blouse. It might not have been his Kagome's uniform, but the resemblance was uncanny. It must have been his fate to find her.

"Are you a student?" Kiera suddenly asked.

Kouga answered, "Sure am. I go to UCLA, how about you girls?"

The other girls giggled again, but Kiera seemed to have taken it upon herself to be the spokesperson for their group, "We're seniors at Notre Dame Academy."

"Oh yeah? The private school, right? It's a great place I hear," Kouga said amiably, and all the girls nodded and exclaimed their love of the place of to him.

"What's your major?" a short, slightly chubby, sweet-faced blonde with a pixie-bob cut asked him.

"Music," Kouga lied smoothly, "I play in a band. In fact, we've got practice this afternoon."

"Really? That's so cool!" Another girl exclaimed, "Can we come watch?"

"Aww, sorry girls. I don't think the guys would get much work done with you all around," he smiled his most disarming grin again.

Kiera said to him, "That's too bad, but maybe we'll see you around? Oh, and good luck with the band, but Amy has to get home. Her mom will kill us if we're late."

The blonde girl moaned, "Puuuluuuhease! Don't remind me, Kie!"

As the other girls started to leave, Kiera suddenly stopped and said, "Hey, guys, go ahead, okay? I think I left my bag in the restroom!"

Kouga's eyes darkened and narrowed. This was his chance. He waited until the others had left and said to Kiera, "You know, you really are pretty. I know we just met, but um…," he played the nervous schoolboy quite well, "Wanna meet me at the campus coffee shop later?"

The young woman smiled and said in a confiding sort of voice, "I left my bag in my car. Actually, I was kind of hoping you'd ask me out, but how about a movie? I don't really like coffee," she pulled a pen a paper from her bag and scribbled a phone number on it, "That's my address. You can pick me up at seven if you want?"

Leaning forward, Kouga brushed his lips against the girl's temple and said seductively, "The pleasure will be all mine, baby."

"Hey, don't be a pervert about it," she whispered, grinning like the cat who had just eaten the finest cream.

Giggling the girl practically skipped out the restaurant, barely remembering to grab her take-out bag from the counter.

Kouga smirked and decided a few more days wouldn't hurt; Yalitza could just stew in her own shit. This girl was special, and he'd make her last days, maybe even weeks. Perhaps she'd make a good pet for Kagome. The wolf youkai pocketed the paper and smiled at the old man behind the counter, "I'd like to place an order to go…let's see… I'll take the noodles with pork and peppers."

Kouga's mind drifted thinking how lucky he was. Excellent noodles and bloodlust soon to be satisfied. Life was good to him.

Banda Mexico

September 26, 1996

"He's not coming back," growled Inuyasha.

"You don't know that, baka," Shippou chided, "it's not like you're psychic."

"FUCK! I wish that damned Yalitza had given us something," growled the hanyou, his frustration evident in his voice.

"It's been nearly a week, Shippou, I believe Inuyasha has a point, but we'll leave some of your men here to watch. Should the wolf return, they are not to engage him, merely follow," Sesshoumaru announced. He was anxious to get his mate from the hotel and return to Japan, and he knew Inuyasha did not want to leave Kagome or her family in the hands of Shippou's people alone for so long. The tai-youkai could understand the hanyou's anxiety, and he placed his hand protectively on his brother's shoulder.

"Sounds like a plan," Shippou agreed, "I'll see to the arrangements. Get your mate and go home, you go too, Inuyasha. I'll head to town and make some phone calls."

With that, the demons left the cave where Yalitza had hidden, and both were glad to be leaving the stench of the filthy place behind. They'd found no clues other than the scent of old bloody clothing Kouga had left in his bedding. Sesshoumaru could hear Shippou walking behind them, and suddenly the fox was a blur, almost invisible as he raced toward Banda while shouting, "I'll see you both soon!"


	14. Chapter 13

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California

January 1, 1997

Inuyasha stood watching the river mouth as the river emptied its' contents into the waters around Long Beach. Sparse. The word always floated around his subconscious whenever he visited the deserts of California, but it seemed most significant when applied to the Los Angeles River. The place was a monument to concrete and pollution these days. Of course, he actually remembered when wildlife had flourished and the natural fauna was left to grow as it would, but as man advanced technologically speaking, the natural world slowly diminished.

He'd come back to Los Angeles when Shippou's people announced they had a new lead on Kouga, but the filthy wolf had already managed to clear out of his crude den with his prisoner in tow. The girl, around sixteen years old, was a dead ringer for Kagome, and right after Yalitza died, Sesshoumaru made a point of checking into the missing persons reports for clues. The water demoness' hint had proven quite helpful even if she'd only wanted to tell them out of spite. There were more than a few missing girls who looked like his Kagome, at least vaguely, which was obviously enough to satisfy the wolf. Inuyasha was certain Kouga had done something to most if not all of them. All of the girls resembling Kagome who'd disappeared in the last fifteen years were runaways except one, the last. She was listed as "missing and endangered"; she looked the most like Kagome. It had happened while they'd waited on Kouga to return to Banda, and Inuyasha blamed himself for the girl's fate until Sesshoumaru reminded him no one but Kouga made the choice to become a murderer. Still, in his worst nightmares the hanyou never expected Kouga to take on the role of a serial killer; it was bad enough when a human did it.

So now he stood staring into the water, hoping he could find a way to rescue this girl, Kiera Ito; she'd probably be scarred for life and possibly insane if the rumors were true. Apparently Kouga had spiraled further downward on the youkai social ladder, and the last anyone had seen of him was at an extremely exclusive and deeply underground youkai club, the sort of place you went to be seen and not seen in the same breath. Kouga had taken the girl there as punishment a few days ago. Who knew what she'd done, but Inuyasha couldn't help but feeling slightly guilty over feeling relieved it wasn't Kagome the bastard had in his clutches. The girl was forced to watch as five other humans, the youngest a boy of eleven and the oldest a wizened grandmotherly woman, were repeatedly raped and brutalized. The eleven year old died and was found on the filthy floors of an abandoned house. While Kouga wasn't about to let his captive be used by other youkai, Shippou's man, Raynard, said Kiera was repeatedly told she'd better learn to behave or she could expect to meet her end in a similar fashion. Raynard had also said the girl was completely malnourished, scarred, bruised everywhere but her face and kept naked on a leash. Kouga wasn't above putting the poor child through the humiliating spectacle of public sex. Raynard had been furious he was unable to do anything but watch because he'd been ordered to stay undercover.

Of course, by the time Inuyasha arrived, the club was gone. Raynard, an eagle youkai, was an excellent tracker, and according to him, Kouga was still in Los Angeles. Inuyasha wasn't so sure. It was like the fucking wolf had managed to learn everything he needed to know about hiding and getting away just in time from Naraku's School for Evil Masterminds, but none of it mattered since he was in town to rescue the girl. No one should be left to that fate.

Inuyasha looked up at the approach of footsteps, "What've you got for me?"

Raynard smirked and answered, "No Kouga, but we know where he left the girl. He dropped her off early this morning at Cedar-Sinai with one of his youkai buddies who's more than happy to treat her on the down-low for a little… Um… Trade, shall we say?"

"What kind of a trade?"

"It seems your boy's gotten himself hooked up with the slavers. They deal mostly in young runaways, but now and then a youkai will come along who's willing to pay for something a little 'extra special', and that's where Kouga comes into play. He's like the Big Bad Wolf from every fairy tale nightmare you could imagine," the eagle's voice carried a note of disgust.

"So he's taking kids from their homes?"

"Ah-yup, about sums it up, my friend, though one youkai requested a ninety-year old woman from a local nursing home. I don't even what to think about what the fucker did with her."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, "Fucking bastard! We will get that Kiera kid away from him!"

"We're trying to find a way around security right now."

"Security?" asked Inuyasha.

"Kouga's little doctor friend arranged for a lot cameras, meaning they know you're around and fully expect you to try and rescue the girl. So what next, Fido?" Raynard asked.

Inuyasha glared at the eagle and rolled his eyes, "You're gonna get your ass kicked someday, Big Bird, what's next is we do the smart thing and send in Shippou's girls."

Raynard whistled low and said, "Damn, Kouga's so fucked now."

"Don't count on it," the inu-hanyou stated matter-of-factly, "Kouga won't be within a hundred miles of the place, but you can bet your wings the hospital ain't a safe place for the patients these days.

Just then his phone rang, and Inuyasha answered, listening carefully. A smile erupted from him and he grinned madly at the eagle, "Yeah, Shippou, I'll tell him, and thanks," he said, hanging up the phone, "Cameras will be down pronto! Come on, man, let's go pick up the ladies. You call 'em on the way and explain the situation."

"You know Heather scares the fuck out of me," said Raynard, taking out his own phone as the two headed toward a nearby black SUV.

Inuyasha laughed and put his arm around Raynard, "Them's the breaks, bud!"

The car was big enough to hold about eight people plus a good cache of weapons, and Inuyasha had picked up enough guns and ammo to outfit a small army, not that Shippou's girls wouldn't be more than happy to have the things.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kouga knew Inuyasha would show up sooner or later as soon as he'd spotted the fucking eagle youkai trailing him, but rather than kill the bird, he decided he might as well put on a good show for everyone involved. The stupid demon hadn't even realized he would never have gotten into the club if Kouga hadn't told management to let the son of a bitch through the door; smirking the wolf turned to check his cargo and smiled when the boy, bound and gagged, flinched under his hard gaze.

"You know, kid, you're screwed," Kouga told him, "and I mean it in so many ways, but I'll give the old fuck this much, he's got good taste. If I were into boys, you'd be my type, too."

The child wept, and Kouga laughed, enjoying the scent of fear and tears filling the van. Michael was perfect as payment. The boy had sea green eyes, high cheek-bones, skin the color of milk chocolate and the most beautiful mouth Kouga had ever seen on any boy in his lifetime, but what really struck Kouga was the kid's androgynous look. He was caught in that brief time just before a boy hits puberty and is all limbs, but this kid, unlike many boys his age, had an air of grace and dignity about him he knew Malachi would find a great deal of joy in breaking. By the time the demon was done, Michael would be pliant as bread dough and ready to please his new master until finally he was allowed to ask for death, but death wouldn't come until Malachi was sure his new toy had been crushed into utter submission, not that Kouga cared what his clients did with their playthings after he delivered them, and he'd deliver Michael once Inuyasha was dead and his pet was well on her way to healing.

Since Malachi's tastes was for boys, Kouga had no trouble leaving the girl with him, and he knew he could rely on the demon to use even the most unconventional medicine to get the little bitch up and running. Kiera had been fun for a while, but of late she'd gotten a little mouthy, and just last week the whore tried to get away from him! Oh, he was furious with her over her little stunt, but he would never let the woman fool him into believing she was complacent again. He'd taken her out for a night on the town, and as soon as she managed to get into a bathroom the girl tried to get out the only window, falling and breaking her ankle. Kouga, suspicious of her lengthy absence, found her holding her leg and crying her eyes out like a child; he was disgusted by her display, but he had Malachi heal the girl's bone that night. It had taken him a little time to decide on her punishment, but he felt a walk on the leash at the club while watching other weak humans die was a good start. At home he beat her again, taking care not to break her bones, and then demanded she satisfy him. His favorite part of the torture was forcing an orgasm out of the girl, and as she came, she sobbed while Kouga said to her, "You are nothing but what I make you. You have no control, even over your own body, girl," and he'd started again, gently drawing her pleasure out even while she wordlessly begged with her eyes for him to stop. At least she'd learned not to verbalize her dissatisfaction.

"Hey, kid," Kouga said to his captive, "you ever screwed a girl?"

The boy's eyes widened and his entire face flushed a deep crimson. The wolf-youkai laughed and shrugged his shoulders, "Well, you won't get the opportunity now, but Malachi might let you come if you're a good little pet."

Kouga threw his head back and laughed exuberantly, enjoying the whimpering and moaning of the boy.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Opening the back door to the SUV, Inuyasha said, "Girls, get in," and three very blonde, blue-eyed, young women eagerly jumped into the car waving at Raynard.

They were triplets, identical, and though they looked every bit the teenage California beach bunny, they were not ordinary teenagers at all. Thanks to Sesshoumaru, many young men and women with holy powers had been located around the world, and the three girls, two of which were giggling madly, were some of the most powerful around; unlike Kagome, they had the advantage of being fully trained. Inuyasha ran around to the driver's side and jumped into his seat glaring at Raynard who was staring open-mouthed as the girls changed from their school clothes into candy striper uniforms.

"Get your mind out of the gutter," the hanyou growled.

"But…but…look at them!" The eagle was nearly drooling, "I haven't seen them since they were little girls!"

"Well they ain't little now, but they could purify your pecker off in about half a second, so don't cross any lines, today, Raynard," behind him the girls laughed and Inuyasha shook his head, grinning.

"Mr. Inuyasha," called one of the girls, "Where's my case?"

"Which one are you?" asked Inuyasha gruffly.

The girl rolled her eyes, "Belinda! Blue bow, you always forget," she said pointing to her hair.

The other girls, Veronica and Heather, wore their own bows, too, and though for once Belinda spoke first, Heather was actually the dominant one of the trio. She always wore red, and her little bow flashed merrily on top of her head, holding back her long ponytail. Inuyasha said to the girls, "Under the seat, ladies, and no funny business this time! This one's too important for picking up dates and making googly eyes at guards. Get the girl, and get out as quickly as possible and forget about your holy powers because you'll only bring every demon running if you start purifying left and right. There are cameras all over the hospital, but Shippou's already taken care of it. When we arrive, you've got twenty-two minutes."

Heather nodded at him and said coldly, "It'll be cake."

"That's what I like to hear," Inuyasha said, "I'll be out front waiting to pick up our patient. Get your stuff in gear."

Unlike her sisters, Heather didn't squeal in delight when she opened her case. Instead, the girl extracted a brand new Heckler & Koch P7M8 from the bag and nuzzled the thing, "It's perfect," she said, "Tell your brother I'm keeping this one."

Inuyasha shuddered a little at the thought. Inuyasha had never liked firearms, and the girl's affinity for the things sometimes spooked him. Her sisters were stellar shooters, but Heather? The girl held any gun like she was born with it in her hand. The hanyou found the predatory gleam in her eyes downright creepy when she picked through the case a second time and found the silencer in her bag. She smiled softly and held it pressed to her heart. Holy powers or not, Sesshoumaru managed to find the freakiest people for these missions. Both Veronica and Belinda were still squealing like kids at Christmas when Heather looked at them and said, "Enough, let the half-demon drive in peace."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Heather was relieved when the hospital came into view. She was tired of listening to Veronica hum, a nervous habit she succumbed to whenever they did field-work, and she'd decided giving Belinda a concussion might not be a bad idea if her sister continued to flirt with Raynard. The eagle wasn't a bad guy, but Heather needed her sisters on their game. When the SUV pulled into a space roughly two hundred feet from the entrance, Heather opened her door, hopped out and saluted Inuyasha. Her sisters did the same, and they marched in a somber line toward a little known and rarely used back entrance where another of Shippou's people was waiting to let them inside.

When they got in, each girl took a cart loaded with flowers and headed deeper into the medical complex. Now and then, Heather felt a spark of demonic energy brush against her consciousness, but she managed to pull her own aura deeply into herself, grateful Miyoko had made it a top priority to teach the triplets the skill.

Veronica broke the silence and said, "Twenty minutes and counting."

"Then let's get upstairs," Heather said, quickening her pace as they headed for toward Dr. Malachi Baxter's floor.

He was a fox demon. Clever, evil and almost as old Sesshoumaru, which meant they'd have to be very careful. Since the fox worked with rare diseases, his floor was kept secured, and Heather knew getting in was not normally easy. Thankfully, they had badges that would allow them access to the nurses' station on Malachi's floor. The imposing door loomed ahead of them, and Heather inserted her card into the scanner; as promised, it worked without a hitch. Each of the girls nodded to one another and entered the floor quickly, pushing the carts toward the desk and leaving them as procedure demanded. They were good at their job and would not risk discovery. One of the nurses smiled and waved, turning away as she checked files and monitors.

Heather, always the leader, turned to her sisters and said, "Do it, Ronnie," Veronica pulled a vial from her pocket and smashed it on the floor.

A thick blue gas suddenly erupted, quickly dispersing itself through the room, and the nurse turned and stared, horrified but too late to do anything. She was already sliding downward, and the vents would take care of the rest of the staff and patients. The triplets, now wearing masks that had been made centuries ago by a woman they'd been told was named Sango, quickly moved toward the only quarantined room on the floor. A man in a white coat walked out the room and looked up at the girls, growling.

His eyes flashed and Heather knew this was Malachi. Since she and her sisters couldn't purify him for fear of alerting any demon that might be on staff, Heather-gun in hand-shot the youkai in the face. He fell, screaming in agony, but the sedative gas Veronica had tossed down was already doing its' work and not a soul had come running to help the demon. Heather shot him in the throat effectively severing his vocal cords, and Belinda grabbed a nearby wheelchair. She knew the demon would heal, probably by the evening, but as long as he was helpless now, the rest was inconsequential. Inuyasha had told her to kill Malachi only if there was no alternative; the half-demon wanted the man to go running for the wolf when the first opportunity arose.

Keeping watch in the hall, Heather waited for her sisters to get the unconscious girl into the chair, "We have fourteen minutes, it's time."

Belinda came out of the room first. She pushed the wheelchair through the door Veronica held and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Veronica smiled.

Heather glared at her sisters as she took the rear, allowing Veronica and Belinda to begin their part of the game. The two chattered like magpies as they walked slightly ahead of their sister, babbling about boys, movies and clothes as Heather gritted her teeth and did her best not to scowl. What she lacked in natural charm, her sisters made up for it tenfold, and the two girls looked like nothing more than silly candy stripers taking a patient for a stroll. As they exited Malachi's wing, Heather disabled the card reader, which would make getting in or out of the wing impossible for humans and slow down any youkai who might be around.

Once they made it to the main hall, the girls headed for the elevator quickly getting onboard, grateful no one was around. They reached the ground floor without trouble, and Heather motioned her sisters toward a nearby family bathroom where they could take their charge and lock the door. Working quickly, the triplets managed to get Kiera into some jeans, a plain white t-shirt and pair of white Keds. They exited the bathroom and headed for the exit where Inuyasha and Raynard stood waiting.

Looking at Inuyasha, Heather said, "Without a hitch and two minutes to spare."

The hanyou nodded at her and smiled, "Good, I'll get you three home."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Furious Kouga slammed his fist into Malachi's face, "What the FUCK do you mean you LOST HER?!"

Blood dribbled down the youkai's face as he stared up at the wolf, "I appreciate your loss—"

"You appreciate my loss?" Kouga asked incredulously, shaking his head furiously before he picked up Malachi and slammed him into the nearest tree nearly toppling the harmless plant.

"What? You're trying to tell me you loved her," laughed the fox.

Kouga calmed himself for a moment, "Of course not, but that girl has been with me for months. Do you really think the dogs will let her out of their sight now? No. Hell, they've already got her parents in protective custody, and I think you're smart enough to see the great Dr. Malachi had better fucking disappear fast."

Glancing at the cowering boy in Kouga's car, Malachi said, "What about him?"

"You didn't deliver my goods safe and sound, and you sure as hell didn't kill the fucking half-breed. I don't believe I'm obligated to keep our deal," spat the wolf.

"I never saw the half-breed, but I'll triple your regular fee," Malachi whispered, eyes filled with barely contained lust as he smacked his lips rudely.

Kouga stared at him, "Make the transfer now, and I want it in American dollars. I'll confirm it, and then you and I are done, Malachi, I don't use unreliable sources."

The demon snorted and pulled a cell phone out of his pocket, "It's me, set up a transfer to our estimable Mr. Wolf. No, I've decided to triple his fee. He's outdone himself this time, and I want the transaction settled within five minutes," the fox listened briefly, "Yes, I'm aware of the extra cost."

It was Kouga's turn to snort in disbelief as he extracted a phone from his coat pocket and dialed a number. The phone rang at the other end, and Kouga began furiously punching in numbers and codes when an electronic voice answered. He made arrangements for the money to go directly to a holding account, protecting the fifteen million from suddenly disappearing as quickly as it had shown up a few minutes ago. He noticed Malachi was already headed toward his car, and his stomach quivered in disgust.

The incompetent fuck didn't deserve such a beautiful specimen was all Kouga could think, considering the crying child. It wasn't that he cared what happened to the boy, but there were other buyers in line for this kid. It was surprising how many demons had discovered a real taste for the passion humans could inspire as the centuries passed. Making his decision, Kouga sprinted toward the fox and decapitated him efficiently with the light sword he kept hidden under his suit coat.

"Hey, kid," the wolf said jauntily, "you didn't want to go with that fucker, right?" Pleased to see the boy shake his head no, Kouga laughed brightly before tossing the dead kitsune in the trunk of his car.

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February 18, 1998

Higurashi Shrine

Kagome whistled a merry tune and turned to wave at her brother, "Souta," she called, "Do you want to go to the arcade with me?"

Kagome had come home to spend time with her family. She had no idea why, but something kept telling her the fight with Naraku would come to a head soon; she'd explained her feelings to Inuyasha, and the hanyou reluctantly agreed to let her come home for a little while. She planned on spending the afternoon with Souta playing games, and then she thought it might be nice to treat her little brother to ice cream.

He came running toward her fast and furiously at the mention of the arcade, "Sis, do you mean it?"

"Yep, it's just you and me today," Kagome smiled warmly.

Souta hugged her, "I've missed you. Do you think it will be over soon?"

There was no need to ask what he meant, "Yeah, actually. I don't know, Souta, I just have a feeling about it. I won't be able to come home after this visit, not until he's dead anyway."

"It's all right, Kagome, we understand," her brother said kindly, and Kagome knew he was trying to make her feel better.

"Thanks," she said, "now let's hurry!"

Before Kagome could break into a light jog, Souta reached for her arm and said, "Nee-chan, let's just go to the park today instead, okay? Like when we were little."

Kagome put her arm around Souta's shoulders and replied, "Anything you want, kiddo."

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From inside the shrine, two bright green eyes watched the girl and her brother. Shippou turned to Kagome's mother and said, "When this is over, there's a girl Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha would like you to meet. They think she could use someone like you."

Kimiko looked up at the kitsune, her startled eyes betraying her surprise, "All right, Shippou, whatever you boys need, dear."

The youkai smiled at the woman. He was always charmed whenever Kimiko Higurashi referred to him or the inu brothers as 'boys'.

**AN:** Yes, I am alive, but I am so sick of painting, stripping wood floors and doing manual labor I could actually cry; yet I am proud of my work, and I am pleased with the results. Our first house is a challenge to say the least, and I owe all who have read and reviewed a big thank you for your patience! Again, this story is dark in many places, and while in the beginning I didn't quite intend for it to get this dark, it fits the mindset of the character. Is Kouga OOC? Absolutely, but all of the characters you've known from the manga or anime, aside from Kagome, have had 500 years to change.

To answer how much more story is there? Probably two chapters and an epilogue. Will I deal with the shikon no tama? Yes, I haven't forgotten the jewel, the details behind the sealing potion or Miyoko's suggestion. Those are your "hints", and you should actually see the next chapter coming out sooner; I'll let you all in on a little writing secret of mine. I always write the last chapter and epilogue first. It's a matter of trimming it and reminding myself where I wanted to go with this piece. Happy reading!


	15. Chapter 14

Higurashi Shrine

Higurashi Shrine

Tokyo, Japan

March 15, 1998

Kimiko Higurashi sat patiently staring intently at her front door. She'd waited for this moment for a long time, and she couldn't wait to see her future son-in-law walk back into her life fully-grown, matured and ready to face the world. According to Shippou, Inuyasha had changed a great deal, but Kimiko couldn't imagine the gruff hanyou changing so much she wouldn't be able to see the teenage boy beneath the new exterior.

Her father-in-law, a little angry at not being included until recently, had left the house in a huff and marched off to the market, Souta in tow desperately trying to reason with the old man. Kimiko smiled faintly and shook her head. The man had been her rock over the years, but he was certainly set in his ways.

Outside the house, Kagome's mother heard footsteps approaching and she stood, ready to greet her visitors. Today was for family, and she was ready to meet the rest of hers. Unable to contain her excitement, she jumped from her seat and raced to the door, flinging it open as quickly as possible. In front of her, hand poised to knock, stood a young man with beautiful long black hair, eyes so dark they seemed violet and a grin so wide she would have recognized it anywhere. At his side stood Shippou, whom she recognized in his human disguise, and another man she had yet to meet. 'No,' she told herself, 'a youkai.' He was extremely tall, and his all white hair was as stylish as his immaculate business suit. He stood arm in arm with Miyoko, whom she'd known since the priestess was a girl.

Kimiko bowed and said, "Welcome home," adding pointedly, "all of you."

Inuyasha's grin widened, and Kimiko wrapped her arms around him saying, "Look at you! You really are all grown-up, aren't you?"

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Inuyasha couldn't stop smiling. Kagome's mother had managed to ease five hundred years worth of anxiety with an embrace and the same beautiful smile her daughter inherited. The best part had been when she threw her arms around Sesshoumaru to welcome him and scolded Miyoko for not coming to visit over the past year. The hanyou had nearly died laughing when Kimiko ruffled Sesshoumaru's hair and fussed over him like he was Souta.

"So what did Inuyasha's past self want?" asked Shippou.

"Would you rather tell them, dear?" the woman asked the hanyou.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and said, "After Kagome came back to us and stayed until Naraku died, I started to wonder what would happen if the well closed and she couldn't see her family again. I came here without telling anyone because I wanted to let the Higurashis know I'd take care of Kagome," looking at Kagome's mother he said, "I used to wonder why you were so sure you'd see us again."

Kimiko smiled and looked at Shippou before saying, "I just wish you'd have come sooner, Inuyasha."

Sesshoumaru spoke, "We could not risk altering the past, Mrs. Higurashi."

"Kimiko, please," the woman said graciously, "and I realize that, but I want you to know you were always welcome here."

As they sat discussing plans for securing the shrine and family home, Inuyasha let Shippou and Sesshoumaru take control of the conversation and said quietly, "Excuse me, I'll be back in a bit."

"Take your time, dear," he heard Kimiko call to him as he headed up the stairs he'd once believed he'd never see again.

Naturally, nothing had changed… 'Not true,' he thought, 'I've changed,' and he couldn't help but laugh at the fresh claw marks his past self had left in the wall so long ago, at least in his memory. He'd been tired of waiting for Kagome and jealous of that inconsequential high school boy, Houjo, Kagome could never quite seem to rid herself of no matter how she tried. As he'd listened to the girl thank her friend for yet another strange remedy she didn't need, Inuyasha had dug his claws into the wall leading to Kagome's room, gouging deep lines into the plaster.

He stopped at the threshold of her room and sniffed the air. Her scent, as beautiful as ever, danced through the room and mingled with his, as though he'd sunk into an intimate embrace with the girl. Inuyasha stepped from the hall and into her room, each memory of having been there calling to him as though he'd never been gone. When Kagome returned, he suspected the two of them would have an uphill struggle at first; she was still so young, soon to be sixteen, and while he was ready to take her home and make her his forever, he knew Kimiko would insist Kagome finish school, not that he minded. Over the years Inuyasha had learned to appreciate a good education. Still, adjusting to her lack of knowledge of his past five hundred years would take some time, but, Inuyasha decided as he picked up a small stuffed bear on Kagome's bed and held it to him, they would mange, though a small part of wished she could know. He'd get to tell her so many things about the people her soul had once been in order for her to become Kagome, something he hoped she'd enjoy hearing about, but he felt a twinge of doubt when he considered the young woman's reaction to Kikyou. Perhaps it would better not to tell her, let her believe he'd waited alone and help Sesshoumaru run a business… His thoughts troubled him, and, slipping the bear into his jacket pocket, Inuyasha inhaled once more and returned downstairs.

"So," he heard Shippou saying, "my nephew Dai will be here to help set up spiritual barriers, and my security people are still across the street. Twenty-four hours before Kagome's return, we'll have extra security stationed around the property. You're closing the shrine for Kagome's birthday, correct?"

"Yes, a member of your team said they'd be here as the decoy repair and maintenance crew the day before to start work. They let me know they'll be here on Kagome's birthday," replied Kimiko.

"Excellent, I'm glad to hear they've contacted you! And tell Grandfather Higurashi all of the workmen know exactly what they're doing, so no one will bring dishonor to the shrine," Shippou grinned widely.

Sesshoumaru spoke softly, "I would also like have an alarm system installed, Kimiko, with cameras monitoring public areas twenty-four hours a day. The system will be set to notify my people immediately in the event of power outage or should the phone lines go down. Naturally, you'll be able to turn off camera and alarm access if you find it necessary, but the code you'll be required to send in order to do so will notify my people it's privacy you need rather than an emergency."

The woman nodded while listening to Sesshoumaru and simply said, "I only ask you leave the shrine interior alone and well alone. Dad would prefer to leave the structure untouched, and if Kagome's comings and goings were ever recorded, I don't believe any of us would fare well."

"An excellent idea," Sesshoumaru said, and Inuyasha could tell his brother was pleased Kimiko had obviously given the matter a great deal of consideration.

Inuyasha watched the exchange with mild amusement, glad to see his brother and Kimiko getting along so well. Despite opening up to family and friends, Sesshoumaru was still wary of allowing new people into his inner circle, though Inuyasha suspected Kimiko could probably charm a rabid baboon into sitting down for a tea party with her easy laugh and warm mannerisms.

"Speaking of Dad, he and Souta should be home soon," Kimiko announced, "You'll be staying for dinner. Now, who's going to help me in the kitchen?"

To everyone's surprise, Sesshoumaru stood up immediately and followed Kagome's mother. Inuyasha smiled at his sister-in-law and said, "Does he cook often at home?"

Miyoko replied, "He does most of the cooking. He found out he's not partial to over-done beef or mushy vegetables, but I never promised him he was getting a cook out of the deal by marrying me."

Sesshoumaru called from the kitchen, "We would starve, little brother, were I to depend on my mate for anything more substantial than a granola bar."

Everyone laughed, and Inuyasha found himself sinking into the warmth of being with family. Just before everything was finished cooking, the hanyou heard Souta's footsteps as the boy called, "Grandpa, you should be ashamed! Sulking like this at your age," and Inuyasha snickered.

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March 21, 1998

New Otani Hotel

Tokyo, Japan

Kouga paced the floor of the luxury suite he'd rented three weeks ago; he was sick of staying inside but couldn't risk being seen by anyone who might recognize him and report him to the dogs. He was alone and frustrated. After selling the boy, whose name the wolf demon couldn't even recall, Kouga had used his less than savory connections to get back into Japan undetected, and though he was tired of all the subterfuge, he couldn't help but enjoy the little thrill he'd gotten pulling one over on Sesshoumaru; the wolf had known exits in and out of the country were being watched, but not even Sesshoumaru could have expected Kouga to let himself be shipped into the country in a casket. What a nightmare of a trip, but no one had thought anything of an eccentric Japanese businessman ordering an elaborate steel casket from an American company. Kouga stowed away while being loaded onto a boat, slipped out once the trip was underway and blended in with crewmembers.

A few days before the boat was to dock in Tokyo, the ship was met with a small fishing trawler in desperate need of medical supplies, and Kouga had volunteered to take a dinghy with the necessary items. Once he was onboard, the real crewmember of the luxury liner switched clothes with Kouga and told him, "Hope your mate appreciates the trouble you've gone to, man!"

Stopping to admire the view, Kouga grinned as he thought of Kagome's reaction to his well-executed plans; he couldn't wait to share his triumphs with the girl. As he allowed his enormous ego to bask in a bit more self-praise, a knock at the door snapped him back to reality. He opened the door and smiled at the young man, "Miki Houjo, correct?"

"Yes, sir," the boy answered, "You're Kagome's friend? Toshiro Yagami?"

"In the flesh," Kouga smiled widely and stepped aside, "Please, come inside."

The boy nodded and stepped over the threshold and asked politely, "How did you meet Kagome, sir?"

"Please, call me Toshiro and take a seat. She had something I thought I needed," Kouga answered cryptically, "but I discovered something, Miki Houjo, it was Kagome I needed in my life."

The boy smiled vibrantly and nodded his head, "She's like that! Kagome just draws people to her… I guess that's why I like her so much, too."

Kouga grinned and thought how delightful to get to the heart of the matter, "Yes, our Kagome has mentioned you a time or two, and you know something, kiddo? I understand how it happened. She's a wonderful girl, really, and it would be hard for any young man to ignore her kindness, beauty and compassion, which is why I'm going to give you one chance."

"One chance? Once chance to do what, sir?" the scent of Houjo's confusion wafted through the room.

Leaning toward the human, "Do you know how I found you, human?"

The boy's odor changed and along with the confusion, slight fear suddenly spiked, and Kouga laughed when the boy shook his head, "I remembered your name after five hundred years of waiting for this opportunity. You see, our girl… No, that's not right. My girl will be home soon, and if you so much as think about looking her way, I'm going to kill you, probably in front of her. That wouldn't sit well with Kagome, and I'd rather not dirty my claws on a lowly piece of cowardly shit like you."

Houjo stood up suddenly and punched Kouga in the face, "How dare you? Kagome Higurashi isn't a prize! She's a real human with feelings, and when I tell her you threatened me, I seriously doubt she'll wish to further associate herself with such a violent and cruel person!"

Turning, the boy started to walk from the door when Kouga grabbed him by the hair and laughed, "Gotta say, didn't see that coming, if I'd been a human, it would have fucking hurt, too. Now, what did I tell you, boy? Once chance? Well, you've gone and fucked that up good and proper, little man, but I'll tell you what," the demon raked one claw down the boy's face, cutting a four inch long gash into the flesh, "I think I know someone who will like you a lot. Nice polite Japanese boy with half-decent looks? Oh yeah, you can repay me for that little hit by shutting the fuck up now."

Slamming Houjo's head onto the floor, Kouga grinned when the teenager lost consciousness. No one was going to stand in his way, especially not a piece of a human filth who enjoyed pestering his woman. Picking up a nearby phone, the youkai dialed a number and said, "Got something special for you."

A woman's voice asked, "How old?"

"Sixteen or so," said Kouga.

The woman sighed, "I told you no younger than twenty, Kouga, I can't have him here! What am I going to do with a kid?"

"Come on, sweetness, he might be your last chance! I've known a while, and he wasn't always such a fuck up, babe. Look, the kid's a runaway and needs a home. He might be a handful, but I think you'd be good for him."

"A runaway? Oh shit, Kouga, do you know the paperwork this is going to mean for me? You owe me for this, buddy!"

"I don't know his whole story, honey, but he's a drug user and dangerous to Kagome."

"What?" asked the woman, "What'd he do to her?"

"He's been stalking her, and I swore to Kagome I'd find him a safe place where he could learn to live without the drugs and her."

Sighing the woman agreed, "Fine, I'll help him, but our clinic isn't really set up for minors, Kouga."

"Don't worry. I got that part taken care of , and it's better for everyone involved if he's not allowed outside contact with the world for a long time," Kouga smirked knowing she'd bought it hook, line and sinker.

"Can you bring him over tonight or do you need to come get him, too?"

"He's going to be pretty out of it for a while, kiddo, maybe it's you come get him tonight. I'm staying in a penthouse suite in the Otani," replied the wolf, "Tell them you're here to see Toshiro Yagami at the front desk' I'll notify them of your arrival. What name are you using?"

"It's Hinasaki these days, and give me a week to set everything up for this kid, Kouga, there's not a chance in hell the room will be ready for him tonight. Can you can keep him restrained and safe?"

"Anything for you, Shiori, I know Kagome will thank you personally when she's finally around again," said Kouga, hanging up the phone.

Looking down at his 'guest', the wolf shook his head in disgust, "You should have just taken the deal," he pulled a syringe from his pocket and sighed, "Sorry, kid, heroin's nasty shit, but we have to make this look good. Shiori likes to help people like you."

By the time week ended, Houjo wouldn't know which way was up or down anymore, but he'd be out of Kagome's life for good. Shiori's clinic was perfect for keeping Houjo since the bat hanyou insisted the only form of communication with the outside world was a telephone and weather alert system. She felt television, radio and other forms of electronic media impaired a person's ability to get better; Houjo would be utterly trapped over in Okinawa.

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April 6, 1998

7:00 AM

Ueno Park, Tokyo

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru stood watching the cherry blossoms drift lazily in on clear spring currents of air capable of refreshing even the most tired of bones. Neither of them wanted to spoil the moment for both knew in a little over twenty-four hours, their world would change in one shining moment.

"And what of the boy on the news? This Houjo?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"He's still missing," Inuyasha replied, "but his parents are relentless. He was a good kid, I mean, annoying as all fuck, but had his heart in the right place. I want to think he's not dead."

"Shippou is checking into the matter, and we know this much, he's not been reported dead, little brother, have hope," said Sesshoumaru.

Inuyasha laughed and found he couldn't stop, not even when his brother told him he was earning unwanted attention, "Fuck! This is priceless! You tell me to have hope? You're turning soft since Miyoko, must be the sex!"

The look on Sesshoumaru's face set Inuyasha off again until tears were streaming down his face; his elder brother looked so horrified the poor hanyou couldn't help his obnoxious chortling despite the looks of disgust and curiosity he was getting from passerby. Sesshoumaru said stiffly, "Moron, my personal life is not up for discussion."

Wiping his eyes Inuyasha grinned, "Sorry, you're still too easy to fuck with after all these years."

"No, only you are capable of provoking such reactions from this Sesshoumaru," the tai-youkai, looking every bit the regal and imposing feudal lord of old, declared matter-of-factly.

Suddenly, the hanyou sobered and shook his head, a tinge of worry and even fear evident in his voice, "What do I do if she doesn't want me? What if she thinks I'm a fool for waiting?"

Sighing, his brother answered softly, "She will need time to get to know you again, but she will no doubt want you, Inuyasha. You were… You were always worthy."

His eyes wide with shock, the hanyou smiled brightly and said, "Thank you, aniki-san," using the honorific for the first time in their lives.

A smile that would have left Inuyasha cold many years ago-because it only meant death or terror were to follow-lit up Sesshoumaru's face as the demon responded, "Anytime."

An easy silence settled between the two as they waited for Shippou and Miyoko to meet them. When all had assembled, Inuyasha said, "No time like the present."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Higurashi family had obviously prepared the house and a wonderful feast for their guests; Kimiko had outdone herself, and it wasn't even Kagome's birthday, not that it mattered because Kagome was all anyone could focus on over the course of the day. Thus far, there had been no sign of Kouga, and Inuyasha prayed the wolf would stay the hell away at least until the celebration was over. Naturally, Shippou's people were stationed throughout the shrine grounds, undercover as laborers as planned. Dai, Shippou's nephew, had shown up early to set up holy barriers with his sutras. Since they had to assume Kouga continued to use the old charms Yalitza had made, everyone was quick to help search the shrine, house and grounds completely. It appeared the grounds were clear, but Inuyasha felt they'd missed something, which Shippou told him was nothing more anxiety.

Much to Inuyasha's amusement, Sesshoumaru made arrangements for _The Terrible Trio_, as he liked to call them, to be at the shrine as well. Heather, of course, was in charge of keeping her sisters on a short leash, and Kimiko seemed to have taken a real liking to the triplets, though he couldn't understand why since Heather spent most of her time impressing Souta with how quickly she could field dress a weapon and Veronica managed to slaughter the Japanese language beyond comprehension. Belinda, Inuyasha noticed, followed Kagome's grandfather and listened intently to his old tales of scrolls, ancient weapons and demons. The old man looked like he was falling in love with the kid. The house was filled to the brim with people, laughter and, more importantly, those willing do anything to see Kagome home safe and sound. When the mess with Kouga was finished, Shippou's mate and children would join the group, too, but more than anything, Inuyasha was looking forward to spending time alone with his girl.

Through the day and long hours of the night, shifts of guards changed as needed, but family and friends remained awake and waiting; no one could have slept had they wanted, though Sesshoumaru insisted Miyoko go upstairs and rest in Kagome's room. Her aura did seem tired now that Inuyasha considered it, and her scent wasn't quite as strong as it had been, as though something was keeping her muted, almost hidden from the world, and it suddenly hit Inuyasha! He smiled easily and went to his brother whispering so low no one but Sesshoumaru could hear, "Congratulations."

Sesshoumaru smiled in return and replied, "When she announces it, act surprised."

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April 7, 1998

9:00 AM

Higurashi Shrine

The morning came faster than anyone thought it could, and once again security was tightened. After helping Kimiko prepare breakfast, clean and doing a patrol with his brother, the hanyou finally slipped into the shower. He appraised his reflection in the mirror and took note of the changes he'd undergone over the centuries. He'd filled out some and appeared roughly eighteen to twenty in human years. For the past ten years, he'd refrained from cutting his hair in anticipation of this day. He removed all of his charms and watched his reflection change, fascinated as always by the reappearance of his triangular hanyou ears, gold eyes, fangs and claws. Hanging neatly in his suit-bag, Inuyasha pulled out his fire-rat robes, still a beautiful crimson despite the many years. He dressed quickly, surprised he could remember precisely how to layer the undergarments, haori and hakama; as always, the fire-rat instantly adjusted to his growth. He touched the cloth reverently as he recalled the many times he'd wrapped it around Kagome or had missed out on an untimely death thanks to the magic of robes.

The subjugation beads gleamed darkly against the cloth, and the hanyou couldn't suppress his smile. Maybe Kagome would break the spell but let him keep the beads, he hoped because he wasn't sure he could easily give them up at this late a date. Last, but certainly not least, Inuyasha pulled the Tessaiga from the handcrafted box Sesshoumaru had made for him shortly after Emily Pennywhistle died, and while he had not needed it to control his demonic blood in centuries, Inuyasha never failed to keep the sword in top condition. Tessaiga, in a new sheath fashioned by Totosai when the old finally cracked under the weight of an argument with Sesshoumaru, pulsed as though expecting to be in use soon. Inuyasha picked it up and admired the craftsmanship before smoothly strapping the sword into place; he was ready, and it was time to wait beside the well house. She would come soon.

His bare feet, thrilled to be free, flexed against the carpet as he walked downstairs. To his surprise, it was quiet, and he hastened to the living room where he was met first by Sesshoumaru who had also changed. Though his hair was certainly shorter, he was no less imposing in the robes of a feudal lord now than he had been then; Shippou, having been formally adopted into the family, wore robes similar to Sesshoumaru's since meeting Kagome dressed as the child would be more than a little strange and inappropriate. He too held a sword fashioned by Totosai, forged from fangs belonging to each of his brothers as a gift of welcome.

Inuyasha looked at Heather, "Kouga will be here. I feel it in my bones, kid, keep everyone here safe."

The girl, her face as impassive as his brother's usually was, simply said, "It is unlikely our services will be needed," she stood, her hands already glowing, "but he will not be pleased should he make it this far."

Inuyasha chuckled and said, "Time to get out there," and the three demons stepped quietly into the sunshine.

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April 7, 1998

10:45 AM

Kouga snickered to himself quietly. What did he care if the dogs wanted to sit in front of the well? Those fool human guards the brat fox had used were easy enough to hide from, and while he wasn't so stupid he'd announce his presence to the family the night before, he freely admitted he was looking forward to killing everyone and taking Kagome before the bodies were cold.

Getting around the cameras wasn't easy, but he'd managed by dressing the part of a tourist and blending in with a tour group. When no one was watching, he'd hidden in the shrine after discovering the lack of cameras in the structure. It had only been a matter of using the cover of night and his superior sense of smell to get into the trees. He'd hidden well, not even Shippou had thought to look in the tops of the trees, and Kouga congratulated himself on a job well-done as he sat back and watched the brothers from his vantage point behind the well-house. He could smell them all from where he stood and wondered what the hell they could be thinking letting their shields down so freely. Idiots. If he could smell them, he'd have the easier job of it.

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April 7

At the Well

Kagome turned to face Inuyasha, her determination wavering for a moment, but she had to believe the kami were not so cruel as to bring the two of them together only to tear them apart viciously. She looked over the side of the well and glanced back at the boy she'd loved for so long and said, "Are you ready?"

"Come on, Kagome," he said, "we'd better hurry or your mom will have a fit!"

Kagome smiled and said, "Now or never, right?"

"Yeah," they were both stalling jumping into the well, terrified they'd be separated.

Kagome suddenly grabbed Inuyasha by the hand and said, "Let's do this together," and he'd flashed one his rare but beautiful smiles at her as they jumped.

She felt the magic catch and almost cried in relief until she turned to look to Inuyasha; he was fading before her eyes and screaming for her, and as she slipped through the time-stream, Kagome was overcome with grief, "INUYASHA!"

Her voice cracked, and she shook violently, aware the trip home was not the same this time. The light enveloping her was turning a brilliant purple until it burst into violet around her, shimmering, fading, glowing, pulling and finally surrounding her in a pale, sliver glow she would never be able to describe now matter how long walked the earth. She felt as though she were suspended between time and worlds when a woman's voice, gentle and sweet, called out to her, "Oh, child, please forgive me! Had I known… Well, what's done is done."

Kagome snapped out the feeling of warmth and cried out, "What have you done with Inuyasha?"

"Inuyasha? Oh, Lord Sesshoumaru's brother. Nothing at all, little one," said the woman, "I'm afraid we haven't much time. There are so many waiting to see you, but it was necessary to intervene."

"Intervene," Kagome asked, slightly mollified when the reassuring voice told her she hadn't done anything to Inuyasha.

"Yes, I'm afraid my potion worked a bit too well! You should have remembered everything by now, Kagome, and be able to control your powers. Well, I did warn Lord Sesshoumaru that potion takes time to wear off entirely," the woman said.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked, completely confused.

"Oh, forgive me! People who know me call me the Lady of Ages, and I would have done this sooner had I realized what was happening," she said.

"Done what?"

"This," said the woman.

Suddenly, Kagome felt as though she had become the center of a very strange universe; later she would swear she heard a bottle being uncorked, and with the loud pop came a swirl of colors, voices and feelings she couldn't understand at first. The world seemed to hold many paths, and she was following them all at once. For a moment, everything around her slowed and stopped. Kagome could see the woman, though they were nowhere near one another, and the Lady of Ages smiled compassionately, her countenance speaking of nothing but kindness for the young miko. Then the world sped up again, and Kagome realized something very important about herself. She remembered. She remembered everything.

When the spinning and cacophony in her head stopped, she knew who would be there waiting, and she also knew precisely what she had to do. They'd waited so long to see her.

"They waited with me," said Kagome, awe in her voice as she realized the enormity of the sacrifices others made willingly simply to see her again.

They'd fought for her time and again, no matter who she'd been. Each of them had accepted her in each life she lived only for the person she was at that time, "You see it, child," said the Lady.

"Yes, they've done so much for me, and I know what's happened," Kagome said.

"I'm so sorry about your friend, Kagome, and will you forgive my error in making the potion?" the Lady asked softly.

Kagome smiled at her, "You helped make me stronger, too. There's nothing to forgive," and with those words the well house shattered and brilliant light filled the clearing, enveloping all who were present.

"Just remember, Kagome, the memories can help you, but they are not who you are now. You'd have grown up knowing this if not for—"

Kagome interrupted, "If not for Red in Winter," she said using the name she'd given her 'imaginary friend' when she was a child. No wonder Sesshoumaru never really scared her!

"He meant well, as did I," the woman smiled.

Kagome returned the smile and realized she was at the bottom of the well, blue sky above her as well as the auras of four demons.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Inuyasha wasn't sure what to make of the strange light, "This isn't how it's supposed to be happen!"

He was afraid, more terrified than he'd ever been in his life, but Sesshoumaru held him back and said, "Do you hear the voice?"

"What voice?" Shippou asked, his tone worried and frightened, as well.

"I know that voice," the demon lord said, sniffing the air, "I can't smell her, but I know that voice! She says Kagome is fine and coming home soon."

Inuyasha spat, "Don't care who she is. If Kagome's hurt, she dies," and he unsheathed Tessaiga.

The light continued to grow brighter until they were all shielding their eyes, but finally, the tempest surrounding the well slowed and dimmed until there was nothing. The three demons looked at one another, and a familiar voiced called, "A little help down here!"

It seemed to happen so fast to Inuyasha he couldn't even begin to understand it himself. One moment he was terrified and the next overjoyed.

"KAGOME!"

It was Shippou shouting and running for the structure, but Inuyasha was already on the ledge. He jumped into the dry well; half wondering what the hell the thing would do next, but it didn't matter because Kagome was home.

He landed lightly next to her, "Ka-Ka-Kagome," he murmured, and then she was throwing herself into his arms and embracing him. Her scent was beautiful but different, and Inuyasha could sense an immense power around the young woman.

"Inuyasha," she said, but he stopped her from speaking.

Their first real kiss was tentative at first until Kagome drew him in and kissed back in earnest. He couldn't begin to describe the feelings. Yes, excitement and lust, but there was far more to it; it was as though Kagome was speaking to him through the kiss and saying, "Yes, yours, finally. I'm here now."

When they finally parted, he drank the vision of her in greedily until a voice from above called, "Little brother, perhaps you'd like to join us up here."

Kagome laughed, to the surprise of all three demons, and Inuyasha pulled her tightly to him jumped upward.

When they landed lightly on the ground next to the well, Kagome disentangled herself from Inuyasha's embrace to pull both Shippou and Sesshoumaru into her arms. "I have so much to tell you! All of you, but," her voice carried a note of disgust and anger, "only when this is done…"

Inuyasha watched the girl unsure of what to do when she stepped out and yelled, "Come down, Kouga!"

From a nearby tree the wolf did exactly as he was told.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Kagome could feel her powers rising to the surface before Kouga even landed on the ground and began moving toward her. It was amazing. She'd never felt this in control of her spiritual powers before, and she had the Lady and all the people she'd once been to thank for it. When she said she remembered everything, she remembered not only her own childhood; but her past lives opened up to her as well. Thankfully, while time was suspended, the Lady of Ages helped her through the experience or she'd probably have come out of the deal insane. She knew how to fight, how to heal, how to put up barriers, create seals and, most importantly, she'd been given a small bit of insight into the people she loved thanks to all those memories. The Lady had also shown her what Kouga had become, and Kagome grieved for the loss of all those lives he'd stolen and crushed.

"Kagome," the wolf said, "Tell these assholes you're coming with me."

Kagome smiled sadly, "No, Kouga," her voice sounded as though many were speaking at once, "They are here to bear witness," but she held her hand out to the three demons who were stepping toward her.

The little miko began glowing softly when Inuyasha and the others raced toward her, weapons drawn and ready, but they were easily repelled by a barrier, "I need to do this," she said, "for the girls he's murdered."

Kouga snarled furiously and leapt toward her yelling, "You are MINE!"

Kagome sidestepped the youkai and watched him hit the ground, "I've seen it all, Kouga, those poor girls," he froze as she continued, "You were my friend. You die my enemy."

Kagome's left hand was bathed in white light as she grabbed Kouga by the wrist, and the wolf screamed in pain as his hand dissolved to nothing. She felt righteous anger sing throughout her limbs as a spell she'd once known occurred to her; Nimue's memories were etched into her as vibrantly as those belonging to Rin, Kikyou, Emily and the others. She wove the magic around herself and Kouga tightly as she spoke in a language she'd never even heard before let alone understood until this moment, but it was Nimue's spell she used as she bound Kouga to the earth and then told him in Japanese, "You will know neither true heaven nor hell, Kouga, you are sentenced to suffer the same pain, anguish and despair you happily gave to others until the kami deem you fit to be used for their service. They are hard taskmasters, wolf, but they will offer you honest redemption."

Kouga's screams were never heard for Kagome sent him to a place beyond time only the gods and goddesses could reach. She would not send a youkai to hell for he'd only make his own heaven of it, but Kagome was not capable of making him suffer through eternity either. The kami would reforge him and do as they saw fit.

Looking at Inuyasha, Kagome smiled gently and released the barrier he was desperately trying to break, "I'm sorry, Inuyasha, I had to do that myself," she said and promptly fainted into his arms.

**AN:** This chapter was rewritten about twenty times before I was even moderately happy with it; I am my worst critic. Since I write my last few chapters first, I tend to be most hard on those chapters. To answer a question I think will come up: Yes, Kagome was always the one I intended to use to kill Kouga. When she was a child in this universe, Kagome was in-tune with her surroundings and knew demons on sight, but Sesshoumaru intervened on her behalf to save her a lifetime of being called crazy. In the end, the Lady of Ages had to come back briefly to encourage her potion to release its' hold. She will not make another appearance, but I will say this, she's a character I've found myself thinking about a great deal. She may pop up in another story later down the road.

A Huge THANK YOU goes out to all my readers, but especially **REVOLUTION 25, anterrian, Flair-ofFire, LonewolfBloodstrom **(whose screenname I happen to like, too)**, The Fluffy Muffin Queen, Hanyou Yogonem, Taran-Wanderer **and **EVERYONE **who has taken the time to review. For a time, I was really down about this story and feeling like it wasn't going as I'd planned, but then it started to come together again.


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